This is Love
by ghfann5
Summary: Valentin Cassadine: disowned; forgotten; out for revenge. He first plans to destroy the bastard sister who somehow still managed to weasel her way into his family, by taking away her greatest loves. However, he did not account for the power of these four women, or the many people who love them and will stop at nothing to keep them safe.
1. Part 1: Chapter 1

A/N. I'm back with another Sam-centric fic that accidentally turned into a Davis Girls story with an unintentional kind of ensemble POV that I started months ago. I haven't actually really watched in months, but I hear they finally brought the Valentin arc back, though from what I can see, he's really not what I imagined. WARNING: This is a SAMTRICK romance story. JaSam will NOT be endgame.

For purposes of this story, I've made quite a few changes from the show that might need some explaining: Sam and Jake were only just good friends (no weird almost moments between them), and Sam accepted Jason's death long ago (with help from Silas); Robin really is away doing her doctor thing; Nathan is without a doubt a Cassidine; Brad and Lucas already got married (Rosalee, who?); Kristina is sans-Parker; Sabrina is not pregnant and didn't sleep with Carlos, and the AJ Quartermaine Memorial Clinic is just getting established and Sabrina works there and Michael runs it (it was funded by the hospital); Dante never slept with Valerie; Lulu doesn't know about Dillon's crush but Maxie and Dante do; Carlos didn't shoot Sonny because he stayed dead when Anna shot him, Michael kept custody of little AJ (because who in their right mind?). Additional info may be included further along or should be easy to figure out, but let me know if you have any questions. The rating may also change in the future.

Okay, I hope you're still with me.

Lyrics and title from The Script

Word Count: 1,731

Set in mid October 2015

 **Part 1: This is Love**

-1-

This is why we do it  
This is worth the pain...

 _This is what I'm left with._

 _They're both the man I love. Both fathers of my children. Friends, lovers, history, heartache. Family. Betrayal. Comfort. Fear. Obligation. It's all there. This is the reality I'm now facing._

 _Patrick has been my saving grace these past couple of years. But then, so has Jason. Except, of course, he doesn't remember that. He doesn't remember being my savior, or my destruction. Devoting his heart to me, or ripping mine to shreds. Promises of love or death. He's not my Jason anymore, not really._

 _All of the things I loved about him are still there at the core, still the man I married. And when he lost everything but his instincts, he chose her. Again. Their connection was obvious to everyone. Hell, I even rooted for them to be together. If he was still my Jason, I would know it. She knew._

 _She knew. Our sons' father was right here the entire time, and she said nothing. I honestly can't decide whose betrayal hurts worse: hers, or Nikolas's._

 _He loves his family. I can practically hear the arrogant 'cousin' dripping from his throat like acid when I confront him. I know I should go to Jake—Jason first, but I'm angry, and I am both Cassadine and Jerome at heart, so naturally I'm on a warpath. I hope Elizabeth is there with him, so I can tear Nik a new one and shove it down her throat. Two birds._

 _Waiting for the ferry to arrive, I try to calm myself. What are you even doing? Go home._

 _Home. To Danny and Emma. And Patrick. How would I even explain this to him? He'd be understanding, of course, having been in my shoes before. A part of me is afraid that he'll understand so well that he'll let me go, because he's been through this before. He'll try to talk us out of our family, the four of us. Five._

 _The nausea that hits me has less to do with the new life growing here and more with the guilt I feel for not telling Patrick the moment I found out. My new brother-in-law gave the news over the phone, since I was too excited—and not above threatening Brad—to forgo waiting for my doctor to tell me the results. He congratulated me and told me that Patrick was indeed still at the hospital. I was almost out the door when my phone rang again and an unexpected voice stopped me in my tracks._

 _Had that really only been a few hours ago? Was it only this morning that I was on my way to give Patrick the news in person because I couldn't wait? Did my ex-boyfriend really just call me out of the blue and blow my world apart?_

 _Lucky spoke with a façade I knew too well before I told him to cut the bull and get right to the chase. And I didn't believe him. I thought about the man I'd gotten to know over the year, my friend. There was no way. But when he told me that Nikolas and Elizabeth knew, somehow it all started to click for me. How stupid I must have been, to only realize after Lucky told me that, of course, Jake was Jason. I'd brushed the similarities under the rug before, chalking it up to my own pathetic desperation to find pieces of Jason wherever I could. But it was so obvious now._

 _Lucky had known for months. And damn him, he made it hard to assault him with my full wrath, especially over the phone. I don't know what happened to him since he'd been away, but it was obvious that it had broken him. He said that he couldn't bring himself to tell me when he'd last been in town because he was battling his own demons. "Friends always," I'd reminded him accusingly. His guilt was sincere but I wasn't in a forgiving kind of mood. He tried to explain, claiming to be looking out for his sons. "What about my son?" Didn't Danny warrant the same consideration? He went silent, not that I gave him much of a chance to defend himself. I don't even know how long I yelled at him, over his excuses and explanations of intentions to make things rights. Nikolas had told him that I was happy in the life I'd created with Patrick. I swear, I nearly fell to my knees thinking of him, of what my next move should be. Lucky apologized again, and I threw my phone at a wall instead of tapping a button to hang up on him._

 _What am I going to do? Ripping Nikolas and Elizabeth apart and unraveling their world like they did mine is a nice plan for the short term. But what then? How do I tell Jake—Jason that he's really my husband and Danny's father? How do I tell Patrick that, surprise, we have another thing in common with the whole not-dead spouse thing?_

 _I should call him. I would if I still had my phone, but impulsive pretty much describes ninety percent of my actions. Pregnant, fuming, and alone._

 _Never a good combination._

* * *

Brad grinned at the text that just came in.

 _Come home soon husband. What good is a day off just spent in bed?_

Before he could add his own salacious response, he received the addendum.

 _*ALONE._

And then another.

 _Although, I guess I could be naughty by myself in bed._

 _Or in the shower._

 _Or anywhere else you can picture me._

The last text came with an actual picture attached. Lucas lying in bed, naked as far as Brad could tell.

"God, he's perfect," the lab tech muttered.

"You've got that, 'inappropriate message' look on your face, so I'm going to assume you're talking to Dr. Jones?"

Brad guiltily slipped his cell in the pocket of his lab coat.

"Ahem. Newlyweds."

Patrick shook his head with a laugh. "No need to apologize. I'm glad me and Sam aren't as obvious as you two."

"Please. You still get that stupid grin on your face every time her name comes up. Speaking of which, did she catch up with you?"

Checking his schedule on the computer at the nurses' station, Patrick's brows creased. "Um, no," he said distractedly before giving Brad his attention. "Was she looking for me?"

"Yeah, a while ago. She said she was on her way here to see you."

"And she called _you_ to say she was coming here to see _me_?" Patrick asked skeptically.

Having to think on his feet or risk pissing off Sam by telling her secret, Brad kept it pretty vague.

"We...talk from time to time. You know, I _am_ married to her brother. She just mentioned that she might stop in to see you."

"Hm. Well I haven't seen or heard from her since this morning. I'll call her in a few on my break."

* * *

Sam was deliberate in her verbal assaults. She always had been, and Lucky had felt the full brunt of it today, even over the phone. He told her that part of his reasoning for keeping this secret had been that his children would still have a father when he left. Nikolas had said that to him all those months ago, and Lucky was almost fully believing it when Sam cut him down.

"If you wanted your sons to have a father you would get over yourself and your daddy issues and _be_ there for them instead of hiding from your responsibilities with drugs or booze or whatever you've been self-medicating with lately!"

But there was no more escaping for him. He hadn't gone back to pills, and the alcohol and adrenaline he'd usually used to help him forget his life had long since lost their euphoric effect.

He owed it to so many people to stop pretending, starting with his kids. He'd been so afraid of turning out like his own father that he just gave up. Weekly calls were enough to keep up the illusion of being a parent, but he hadn't been a part of their lives for years. So he was coming back home.

He could have waited to tell Sam until he got back to Port Charles. But he took the coward's way out. He had an idea of how the fallout would destroy Elizabeth's life, which meant his sons would pay the price as well. He definitely hadn't warned her or Nikolas that he told Sam. He basically threw them into the lion's den, a comparison he was sure wasn't too far off from what they would be facing. It wasn't just Sam; they'd be under attack from the whole town. Lucky was deserving of their vitriol too. He was no better than his brother or Elizabeth, his reasons no less selfish or cowardly.

Tightening his grip on the backpack that he kept filled with the barest of necessities, he boarded the dubious-looking boat and settled for the rocky journey home.

* * *

"Hello," Alexis answered her phone sharply. Work was driving her ragged. She was her own boss, for the most part. She shouldn't have to deal with these kinds of problems.

"Alexis." Patrick got the feeling he called at a bad time. "Sorry to disturb you—"

"Oh, no. I welcome the distraction. How are you Patrick?"

"Um, a little worried actually. I'm sure it's nothing, but I haven't been able to get a hold of Sam, and Danny's preschool just called. She was supposed to pick him up a half hour ago and take him to Elizabeth's for a play date with little Jake. I would go but I'm supposed to be prepping for surgery in about five minutes."

"Say no more, I'm on my way. And I'm sure Sam just lost track of time on a case or something."

"Yeah."

They knew that they were lying to each other. Danny was Sam's number one priority, and she would have at least called someone if she wouldn't be able to pick him up.

"And Alexis, you have a spare key to our place, right?"

"Want me to stop by after I drop Danny off?"

"I'd really appreciate it."

"Don't worry. I'll have Sam get in touch with you first thing."

"Thank you, Alexis. I have to get going."

"Okay. I'll see you."

"Bye."

 _A/N: okay so that was the setup. I hope you guys liked it. let me know what you think so far. ~Ashley_


	2. Chapter 2

Word Count: 930

-2-

Brad fully expected his husband to be naked and waiting when he got home, but instead Lucas was completely dressed and looking the very opposite of relaxed. He was pacing their small apartment with his phone to his ear, listening intently to whoever was on the other end of the line.

"Just let me know if you hear anything. Bye, Dad."

With a heavy sigh he hung up the phone.

"That's not a happy face," Brad said needlessly.

"That was Julian. He's trying to hide it but he's kind of starting to freak out."

"Why?"

"No one's heard from Sam in a while. Patrick was working all day but Alexis went over to their place and found Sam's broken phone on the floor, but otherwise no trace of her. And she didn't pick Danny up from school."

"Hey, hey." Brad quickly took Lucas's shoulders and gently rubbed them. "Don't you start to freak out, too. She was just at the hospital with Patrick this morning. She couldn't have gotten into too much trouble since then."

Lucas tilted his head. "If you truly believe that, then you really don't know my sister."

"Just hear me out. Maybe she's gotten herself into a jam, but it's only just starting to get dark out. There's no need to panic yet okay?"

As comforting as the words were meant to be, Lucas still had a bad feeling about this whole thing. Like waiting any longer would only hurt Sam. Then he remembered.

"Hey, as far as anyone could tell, you were the last person to talk to Sam. She say anything, give any indication as to where she might have been headed?"

Brad looked away guiltily before settling back on his husband's face. "She said that she was coming back to the hospital to see Patrick."

But Lucas sensed the slight change in Brad's body language.

"That's all?"

A half shrug/half nod.

"And how did she seem? Did she sound stressed or busy or...anything?"

"She...was...happy," Brad settled on.

Having had enough, Lucas stepped away from his husband. Brad sighed, realizing he couldn't get away with even white lies or lies of omission with this man anymore.

"I promise, she was happy when I spoke to her. She couldn't wait to see Patrick. I don't know what could have stopped her."

Well, he had a few ideas and none of them were good. He was surprised to recognize that the apprehension he was feeling grew from worry for _her_ ; not just Brad's Sister, but Sam herself.

He wanted to tell Lucas that Sam was supposed to be delivering the news of her pregnancy, but if this all turned out to be a bunch of miscommunications, Sam would swiftly kick his ass for giving the news first.

"She's going to be okay," Brad promised, hoping positive thoughts counted for something. Lucas didn't seem to have much fight in him at the moment, and his shoulders dropped as he let Brad wrap his arms around him.

"I hope you're right."

* * *

"No one's heard from my daughter since yesterday. That's your standard twenty-four hours. Her whole family's been searching the town for her; now's when you step in."

If it was solely up to Julian, he wouldn't even be in this damn police department. He didn't like the venue; didn't like the people; didn't like the smell. Unfortunately, the love of his life wasn't ready for him to resort to less-than-legal methods to find their daughter. His way was to be their final recourse.

Detective Nathan West sighed, not wanting to deal with Jerome. Fortunately, Alexis had warned him ahead of time that Julian was storming his way.

"I'm well aware of the situation. Alexis already filled me in."

"Then why are you still sitting on your ass?"

Nathan is almost one hundred percent sure he can take Julian hand-to-hand, but he pushes his annoyance aside and rises to his full height.

"Believe me, I'm taking this seriously, like I always do my job."

"Well you're allegedly Sam's family, so I'm telling you to be even _more_ diligent and get results _yesterday_."

If his daughter could hear him now, she would have his head. She was more than capable of taking care of herself, and they all knew that. By the end of the day she'd probably be reprimanding the whole family for raising such hell on her behalf.

"I _do_ consider Sam family, And I already have people on it. Julian, I _promise_ you, we're going to find her."

The kid's promise did nothing to ease his fears. His words were useless to Julian, except for making him realize that he was wasting his time here.

There was a grunt in lieu of a farewell as Julian turned around to make his exit without another word.

"Don't do anything stupid, Jerome," Nathan called to him. _Not much chance of that_ , he thought.

* * *

Nikolas swirled the amber-filled glass, feeling the cloud fogging his brain getting darker and darker. He was almost numb. Almost.

The truth was going to come out soon, and there was nothing he could do about it. And now this message from his aunt. _Sam is missing_.

Not numb enough yet, the very thought of her being missing sent a pang of dread through him. The least he could do is to help look for her. He made himself sick as he considered the benefit of her being gone: keeping her mouth shut. He and Elizabeth could be in the clear, problem solved.

He moaned in disgust at his logic. How very Cassadine of him.

A/N: starting you off with the first two chapters. Hopefully I can give you new ones weekly. Please review and enjoy the story


	3. Chapter 3

**Word Count: 2,066**

-3-

 _This isn't happening. The week had started with so much promise. My family must be worried sick. Danny...God, what must he be thinking right now? I'm sure my parents and Patrick are doing everything they can to make sure he's okay, but he needs his mother. He needs me._

 _I don't even know where I am, imprisoned in some dim empty room. No windows, a knob-less door without a lock in sight to pick. At least they took the chain off my ankle after the first day. It gave me the chance to give one of my captors a black eye. He hasn't come back since._

 _I don't even remember how they got me here, but I came to groggy and bruised. Liked they'd been carelessly tossing me around like trash…a feeling I know too well._

 _A giant hulk of a man came to my room that first day—or night, I don't know when—dressed from head to toe in all black. There was even a mask over his face. He approached me and I tried to get away, but then realized I was very shortly tethered to the wall by tight metal cuff._

 _He was easily twice my height, probably three times my weight. He was standing over me and my only instinct was to protect my child. Hoping it would stop whatever god-awful thing to come, I begged for my life, for my unborn baby's life. He wasn't deterred, and the look in his eyes-the only part of him visible—was too similar to some of the power-hungry psychopaths I'd had the displeasure of ever meeting. I saw it. He didn't care._

 _I was prepared to fight back, no matter how futile it would be; I wasn't going to make it easy for him._

 _But then the door opened and a loud buzzing came from outside. And the man stopped his approach, and left the room as if he was summoned._

 _I was so relieved I cried. But I still needed to get out._

 _A while later a smaller, but equally intimidating masked man brought a trey for me. Food, water, and pills. The man said quickly in an accent I couldn't place, "Is for the baby." I refused to eat it, and he left the tray of bland-looking food, water glass, and vitamins. But after fighting the fear and anger I thought logically about it; if whoever took me wanted me dead, they would have gotten rid of me earlier instead of poisoning me._

 _It scares the hell out of me that whoever did this was_ knowingly _keeping a pregnant woman against her will. Why? Who would—? Well, I have a pretty good idea of_ who _. The only name that springs to mind is Cassadine. For whatever purpose, I'm sure that my own family had something to do with it. It makes me sick to think that Nikolas may have had a hand in this._

 _No. Helena. It had to be her. No matter what, Nikolas would never knowingly put me or my unborn child in any danger. But...I don't remember anything after leaving Wyndemere._ Please, don't let it be him _._

* * *

After a moment of staring at the stunned bedraggled surgeon, Lucky cleared his throat. "Patrick."

"Lucky. What are you doing here?"

It took him almost a week to make it back to Port Charles. He'd stopped by Elizabeth's house first. Her grandmother let him in, explaining to him that Liz was still at work and that she was watching the boys.

His time with them was brief; he was still unsure around them, and he knew that they could sense it. Cam and Aiden were more receptive than Jake, who was mostly silent. He was so intense and only reminded Lucky of all the people he'd hurt by keeping Jason a secret. When Cam mentioned their mother's upcoming wedding, he wasn't sure if he should feel relieved or worried. He doubted the wedding would still be on if the truth was out but...

Confused. That was what he felt as he left the house and sought out Sam.

She most definitely would have taken action with such big, life-altering news. Unless she was plotting something big. But really, he didn't think she would play games like that when it came to her family.

When he saw Patrick—who looked like he hadn't slept in days—he thought that maybe Sam _had_ told him.

"I, uh...I was looking for Sam," he said tentatively. "Is she here?"

At the question Patrick's face seemed to impossibly fall even more.

"Sam's missing."

 _No. What have I done?_

"Missing?" was the only thing he could dumbly say.

"Yeah. But not for long." Patrick's eyes hardened with determination, though his desperation was still clear. "I'm going to find her."

* * *

Brad could tell Lucas's mind wasn't on his work. He distractedly flipped through a patient's chart, his tired eyes probably not even seeing what was in front of him.

It had been a long five days with no word from Sam. The whole family was feeling it, Brad included. He didn't know why he didn't tell anyone about Sam's pregnancy yet. At first, he was sure she would turn up. But the longer she was gone, the more it felt like he was lying. He was positive now that Sam and his little niece or nephew were in danger, and revealing the truth now would cause even more panic.

But they deserved to know. Patrick especially deserved to know. He would tell Lucas, who he knew would be angry, but also guide him in the right direction.

"Come with me," he ordered the doctor, taking his hand and pulling him into an empty room before he could say a word.

"Brad, what—?"

"I'm sorry,"

"Why are you sorry?"

"I've been keeping something from you. About Sam."

Lucas went still, not even one muscle on his face twitching, and it scared the hell out of Brad. Finally he spoke, his voice low and steady, but menacing all the same.

"If you know _anything_ about where my sister is, and you didn't say anything this whole time..."

He stopped his warning there, but the implication was clear to Brad.

"I swear I don't know where she is."

Lucas's eyes narrowed, judging his sincerity. "Then what?"

"The day Sam went...that day, I called her. She had some blood work in the lab and she wanted to know the results right away."

Alarmed, Lucas took one long step to stand directly in front of his husband. "What? Results for what?"

Brad's eyes welled as he thought again of just how dire the situation was with this new piece of information. "She's pregnant," he whispered.

* * *

Elizabeth thought she might actually be sick. Lucas raced out of one of the rooms, quickly followed by Brad. She only just caught part of their rushed conversation.

 _We have to let the police know that Sam's pregnant._

She rushed to the chapel. Thankfully, it was empty. "I didn't want this," she declared.

When she first heard that Sam was missing, she was devastated for her family. She even pushed aside her fear when she told Jake and his first instinct was to help find her. He was her friend, and he wanted to get her back to her family. Elizabeth had to convince him to let the authorities handle it, at which he'd scoffed. But he listened to her. He trusted her. Though, he still insisted that they contacted Spinelli to enlist his help, which they did.

"I didn't want this," she cried quietly.

She'd gone to Nikolas. Surely any animosity between the cousins would be put aside for this family crisis. Of course he already knew by the time she reached him.

He was drinking, a distressed look on his face. He'd assured her that he had people looking for her at that very moment. She turned to leave since he was being so talkative, but he left her with a warning.

"She knows," he'd said. And the words seemed foreign to her, even though she'd imagined this scenario many times before. Still, she had to ask.

"Knows _what_?"

"Sam knows about Jason. Lucky...told her everything. Then she just...disappeared."

Her first thought was that everything was in place for her world to come shattering down around her. Then, for a frightening few moments, she wondered if Nikolas had any involvement in her sudden disappearance. No. Even if he hated Sam—which she knew he didn't—he wouldn't _do_ anything to her.

By the end of that day, she'd take solace in the fact that Sam couldn't tell anyone. She could feel bad for Sam, and relief for herself, right?

"I didn't want this," she sobbed, feeling the guilt of her actions weigh her down even more.

 _A baby?_

"I swear, I didn't want this."

* * *

It was unlikely that anyone in the Corinthos organization had anything to do with Sam's disappearance, but Nathan couldn't ignore the possibility. Sonny's shooting was still unsolved, and the Jeromes were still suspects. But Sam's life was so interwoven with Sonny's family, Nathan just couldn't see them retaliating that way.

He'd been barraged by people trying to get her back. He wished it was as easy as they wanted to be. Even Maxie was on him.

 _You're one of the best detectives I've ever met. You can do this. You have to._

A person doesn't just vanish off the face of the earth like that. Though, he supposed, Sam probably could if she wanted to. But she wouldn't leave behind all the people she loved. She wouldn't leave her son.

So he had to approach this from every angle. Did Sam have any enemies? Anyone who would want to hurt her? Yes. Her criminal background was extensive, even more so than he might have guessed, knowing her as the occasional law-bending/breaking P.I. she is today. She had a lot of marks from her con days, most of them rich and/or powerful. Then there were the criminals she took on from her years wrapped up in the Corinthos organization through Sonny and Jason. She definitely held her own back then.

And from what he learned from Maxie, she had the ability to be a "scheming bitch"—Maxie's affectionate words, not his—and he need only look to Elizabeth for proof of that. His girlfriend may have muttered that the nurse mostly deserved it, but he ignored her. There was still her family to examine. It was no secret that she and Nikolas had a major falling out over his underhanded takeover of ELQ, and it was no secret that Cassidines could hold their grudges.

Nikolas had been one of the first to offer his help, offering whatever money and resources was needed to help find her. He seemed really genuine, but Nathan was still keeping an eye on him. Then there was Nik's brother. They were able to quickly find out that the last mystery phone call came from none other than Lucky Spencer. They had to keep that bit of information to themselves—at least until they could track him down. It was best to play this hand close to the vest and figure out his role in the whole thing.

At the moment Nathan was examining the mystery of the security cameras. He was able to obtain security footage throughout the town that so far tracked Sam leaving the direction of her house and not towards the hospital, but the docks. Once she was on foot, the footage was curiously warped, so there was no telling whether she boarded the ferry or not. And the only place she could have possibly been going was Spoon Island. Still, Nikolas insisted that she was never there that day. Nathan was definitely going to keep an eye on his errant "cousin."

He looked away from his computer screen to give his tired eyes some relief and saw none other than Brad Cooper walking towards him. The lab tech got right to the point.

"I didn't tell you before, but Sam's pregnant. I thought she would be home soon but she's not and now she's not the only one who could be in trouble."

Nathan was immediately filled with dread. He was already working his team to the bones on this. But now it was time to call in the big guns.


	4. Chapter 4

-4-

From what Patrick told him, Lucky surmised that Sam went missing not long after they spoke. He was explaining to him how Anna was out getting ice cream with the kids now, and would stay at the house with them while he looked for Sam.

"Do you even know where to start?" Lucky asked.

"I'm going to the police station to see what leads they have and then I'll go from there." Then he seemed to remember something. "Why were you looking for Sam?"

Lucky took a deep breath. "I talked to her. The day she disappeared."

"What? Nobody said anything about that."

"Patrick, I'm sorry but I think this all might have something to do with what I told her."

The neurosurgeon took an intimidating step forward. "Meaning?"

"It was about Jason."

"Of course it was."

"It was about Jason still being alive."

"What the hell are you talking about? I know for a fact that Jason is dead. Robin was with him."

It was Lucky's turn to be confused. "I honestly don't know about Robin's part in all of this, but Jason is definitely alive. And he's in Port Charles, has been for a while now."

Patrick had to take a sobering seat on the couch. "I…don't understand."

"You know him as Jake Doe."

Patrick flinched at the name.

"How do you know this for sure?"

"Nikolas and Elizabeth."

The mention of Elizabeth had Patrick on his feet again. "Elizabeth knows? Elizabeth… _knew_?!

He wasn't trying to ruin Patrick's friendship with her, but now was the time for full disclosure.

"Yes. And I've known for a few months now too. I told Sam and, well to say she was upset doesn't even begin—"

"And why the hell wouldn't she be?" Patrick lashed out. "He was…the love of her life and she's finally started to let herself move on from him. We—we're getting _married_ , we have a family. Emma calls Danny her brother. And all of that was just shot to hell because…Jason's alive."

Patrick sat back down as he let that sink in. _Jason's alive_. He let out a derisive chuckle. "I guess that's karma for you," he said, thinking of Sabrina falling apart at the altar while he reunited with his dead wife.

Lucky quietly let him process the news, already mentally preparing to do everything he could to help find Sam. Patrick inhaled loudly and nodded his head.

"What do you think that has to do with Sam missing?"

"I'm not sure yet. But I think we should start with people who wanted to keep Jason's identity a secret."

"We?"

"Yeah. I mean, if you don't mind the extra help."

Patrick shut his eyes tightly, nodding again.

"I'll do anything to bring her back home. Even if that means she...doesn't come home to _me."_

Lucky didn't know what to say to comfort him. There was nothing that could make this easier. Their silence was interrupted by a rapid knock on the door.

"Patrick!" a voice on the other side called. Before either of them could reach the unlocked door, it was pushed open.

Lucas stopped when he saw his cousin there. "Lucky?" But he forwent an explanation for his cousin's presence in order to address Patrick.

"Is it Sam? Have you heard anything?"

"Still nothing new on where she could be, but there is something."

Patrick urged him to go on.

"Apparently Sam had some tests run at the hospital before, and it turns out…she's pregnant."

None of them made a sound, not a move. They didn't have to. The stakes were just upped, and they didn't have another moment to waste.

* * *

Elizabeth was slow to unlock the door, everything seeming surreal. This was it. She'd already called and asked her grandmother to keep the boys at her place overnight. It would just be the two of them tonight. Her and Jason.

 _He'll hate me_.

It was like she was outside of her body as she entered the house— _their home_ —and dropped her bag off at the table before absently making her way to the sofa. He must have heard her. His steps were quick down the stairs.

"There you are," he said happily, as always, and kissed her neck from behind— _for the last time_ —before joining her on the couch.

"Hey." He pushed back a lock of her hair that escaped from its ponytail as he waited for her to wake from her trance. He didn't expect her first words to him to be, "Sam's pregnant," but that's what her hoarse voice told him.

"What?"

"I heard Lucas say it in the hospital earlier. She's having a baby. And she's missing."

He misunderstood her tears. "She's going to be okay. They both are. I promise."

"It's my fault."

"Wha—how the hell did you come up with that one?"

"She went to see Nikolas, and then she was gone."

Jake was thoroughly lost now. "I…don't understand. Nikolas was the last person to see Sam?"

Elizabeth nodded, but she wasn't there, not really. "She found out. And she went to him. Now she's gone."

"Found out what? What are you telling me?"

She wasn't looking at him; she couldn't. It would be easier to just tell the whole story, but not _to_ him. Her brows furrowed as she delved into her tale.

"You and Sam knew that Nikolas had the answer. That he was the other person Heyden was talking about when she said she wasn't the only one knew your identity. And you figured out that it was Nikolas. But not me.

"I have been on edge ever since I found out at the Nurse's Ball. And I was going to tell you, tell everyone what Nikolas told me. But I loved you. I loved you already but I loved you even more when I found out. And it was like it was meant to be." She closed her eyes and a small smile showed at the idea. "Meant to be," she said again dreamily. "I was so hurt by Ric. But it wasn't just him. It was Nikolas and Lucky…and Jason. It always got screwed up. So for once I wanted—I don't know. I just wanted to be happy. And _you_ made me happy. You understand that, right?"

It was a mistake look at him, to see him staring at her like she was a stranger.

"What…are you saying? You know who I really am? You've _known_ since the Nurse's Ball? And you didn't tell me because…what? What are you telling me, Elizabeth?"

She'd lost him. She knew when he spoke with hurt and fear and disbelief. A sob escaped as she tried to continue.

"I don't know what's wrong with me! Maybe I had a nervous breakdown or something, but all I could think was that _we_ finally had a chance. And you had already chosen me. For once, you chose _me_ and only me because you didn't have obligations to anything else. Not work, not family. Just me! And it…God, it felt so _good_ to know that. To know without a doubt that what we had was real, that you truly loved me.

"I know it was selfish. I just wanted you all to myself because I thought it was what we deserved. We deserved to be happy, but I knew. I always knew that this was going to come back to hurt us. First, Heyden found out and she blackmailed Nikolas and I was ready to tell the truth. I swear, I was! But then she got shot. I never wanted her to get hurt, but she was out of the way. She couldn't hurt us. Then she woke up but her memory was gone and Jake came back to us and we were getting married but now…."

He was vibrating. Her head and hands were in her lap now, slowly drawing herself away from the waves of rage he was emitting.

"Now what?" he asked lowly. "Why are you telling me all of this now?"

"Sam's missing. She's pregnant and she's missing, and she wouldn't be if I had just done _one_ thing different. If I just told the truth. And there were so many times I could have done it. I was just afraid to lose you and our family. That's all I ever wanted. And now, it's all over."

"Why? Why would you keep my identity from me? You know that I wanted that. I wanted to know if I had a family out there."

She choked on her sobs, knowing what had to happen next.

"Is that why you didn't tell me? Because I…have another family out there somewhere?"

"Not out there. Here."

He could just barely register what she said, her voice getting quieter and quieter.

"Here?" She nodded.

"Elizabeth," he commanded. "Tell me."

"I'm sorry…Jason."


	5. Chapter 5

-5-

No one had informed Patrick that his home was going to be the investigation's new headquarters. Not long after Lucas dropped his bombshell—Sam was _pregnant_ —Brad had showed up with Nathan and Dante quick to follow. They'd already been informed apparently of the current twist.

From what they could gather, next to no one was aware of Sam's pregnancy—she'd only just found out herself—so it was doubtful that it had anything to do with her disappearance. Still, they had to consider it a possible motivation.

And then there was the Jason revelation, Lucky, Elizabeth, and Nikolas' deceit. That threw the newcomers into a tailspin.

"Could one of them have something to do with it?" Dante.

"I really don't think so." Lucky.

"No offense, but I wouldn't expect you to say anything else considering he's your brother and she's the mother of your children." Nathan.

"Who _are_ you?" Lucky.

" _Snap._ " Brad.

This wasn't getting Patrick any closer to finding out how to find his pregnant fiancée. Having had enough of it, he exploded off his seat on the sofa.

"Whoever's not here to help can get the hell out!"

The silence and guilty faces were plentiful, until a voice came from the doorway.

"I brought dinner," Maxie said weakly. In her hand she held a single bag. "I didn't get the memo about half the town being here, so I only brought enough for two. Sorry."

She was a welcomed sight for Patrick, who was so close to literally throwing everyone else out. Well, except for maybe Lucas.

"Maxie," three voices—Patrick's, Nathan's, and Lucky's—breathed. Patrick wasn't sure about the other two, but his greeting was filled with relief. She looked past the other faces and focused in on Patrick.

"Sam will kill me when she comes back if she finds you starved half to death. I know everything sucks right now, but you have to take care of yourself if you want to help her."

He sighed, knowing she was right. He nodded as she walked to him. After setting the food on the coffee table, she embraced him tightly.

"Thank you," he whispered.

"Do you want them all to leave?" she whispered back.

Patrick didn't say anything, which was enough for Maxie. She turned to the rest of the men in the room. "Okay, I think you could all give Patrick some space."

"Maxie, we're in the middle of an investigation here," Dante told her with slight irritation. But she was having none of it.

"That's funny, this doesn't _look_ like the PCPD. You all should go do your investigating there. Where you work."

Nathan sighed. "Max, we're just trying to figure some things out."

"Haven't you all questioned Patrick long enough?"

"We're not… 'questioning' him. We're just—"

"Look, I understand you have jobs to do, but Patrick needs some time to catch his breath. In case you haven't noticed, he's in love with the woman you're all supposed to be looking for."

Maxie flinched slightly as she registered the hurt that crossed Nathan's face. She hadn't meant to imply that he wasn't doing everything in his power to find Sam; she knew he'd been beating himself up over the lack of progress. She sighed and tried again.

"Please, just come back tomorrow. Let me take care of my family here while you work on bringing Sam home."

Finally, Nathan nodded and gestured to Dante that they should head out the door. He quickly kissed Maxie and told her that he would see her later.

"Anyone hears anything, let us know," Dante announced.

"And you'll do the same?" Lucas asked, though it felt to Dante less of a question and more of a demand. He nodded curtly before heading out.

"I, uh, need to go see Lulu and then figure out my next step," Lucky said to Patrick, who nodded absently and retook his seat on the couch. "I'll let you know if I come up with anything."

He turned to Maxie. "Hey, stranger."

She easily hugged him. "I don't know what you're doing here, but I'm glad you are."

Lucky pulled away. "I'm not so sure you'll feel that way when you find out the truth."

"Well, we haven't found anything we can't forgive each other for yet, and I don't see that changing anytime soon."

Still, he looked uneasy.

"Find me some time while you're in town," she instructed him. "We'll talk."

"Yeah."

Lucky walked past Nathan on his way out. Maxie thought her boyfriend might comment on their exchange, but instead the detective addressed all of them. "I know this is a hard time, but we need you to trust that we'll do our jobs and bring Sam back home safely. That means we need you to not do anything crazy, like starting your own rogue investigation or trying to find her yourselves. We don't know what happened, and we don't want to jeopardize anyone's safety." With that, he nodded to Maxie and left.

"We should go home," Brad said, reaching for his husband's hand.

"No," Lucas said, pulling away. "I drove myself."

He didn't need to say it; they weren't going home together. Probably wouldn't be sharing the same roof in the foreseeable future. Brad knew that he deserved it. He only hoped that Lucas could eventually forgive him.

"Call me if you need anything." Lucas said nothing in return, and he wanted nothing more than to find that usual comfort in his arms. Without another word, he left.

Patrick invited Lucas to stay and join him and Maxie. Even in his frantic state he picked up the tension between the newlyweds—guessed it had to do with the secret Brad kept—and wanted to help his brother-in-law (for all intents and purposes). Besides, he needed what family he could have with him right now. This was family and they all needed each other if they were going to be strong enough to wait out Sam's return.

* * *

He stood overlooking the pier. This is where Jason Morgan died. Where he was shot and shoved into the water. Where his body was never recovered. Because he was still alive.

Jake looked down at his hands as if they could reveal some truth to him.

These were Jason Morgan's hands?

No, they were his own, and he wasn't _him._

Didn't have any connection to _him_. Except Elizabeth. And his kids. And Carly. This whole damn town.

Elizabeth had sincerely fucked his world with her confession. The woman he'd been in love with, had been planning to marry and raise children with, had willfully kept the truth from him for months, and had only told him because she was essentially caught. Because that son of a bitch Lucky finally was going to reveal the truth.

He left their home, _their house of lies_ , because it was like his whole self was splitting in two. He hated what she'd done, was on the verge of hating _her_ , except he still loved her. She and Jason had been together, in love once before, and here he was again falling for all the same charms, he assumed. He'd been drawn to her since he first saw her. What did that mean?

What did it mean that he'd also felt a connection with Sam and Danny after he woke up? Would he have created a family with them if he'd met them first? What the hell kind of person did that make him then, that the two of them might as well have been interchangeable in his injured mind? What did it say about his love for either of them?

Well, all he knew now was that Elizabeth was left shattered on their living room floor, and Sam— _his wife_ —was missing. Disappeared from existence. And she now knew who he was. Why didn't she come to him? Or maybe she was trying to, and that was when she was taken. Or maybe, she had left of her own recognizance. No one else seemed to think so, and they all knew her better than he did.

Despite their immediate chemistry and Elizabeth giving him his true name, he didn't remember her. He didn't remember _them_. Didn't remember any of it.

* * *

"No buddy, Mommy isn't back yet."

" _She come home_ _?"_

"Of course she will." Patrick waited, hoped that line give Danny the optimistic reassurance he himself lacked.

Danny was silent a bit, and Patrick was dreading whatever the three-and-a-half year old was gearing up to say.

" _I eat ice cream. That's okay?"_

Patrick could have laughed at that, at the complete innocence of his question when the rest of his world was in chaos. He could count on his kids to remind him of the important things.

"It's okay, buddy. But it's only for a special occasion."

" _Sleepover!_ _"_

"That's right. Try not to eat too much; you don't want to get a tummy ache."

" _Okay. Daddy?"_

The first few times Danny called him that, his heart beat harder with the excitement of it, the love he had for that little boy and the family they were becoming almost overwhelming. At first they had gently discouraged it, explaining to him that his daddy was in heaven so he couldn't be there with him. It worked for a while, but living together gave Danny a new perspective. He wanted to call him Daddy just like Emma did, and so he would have two daddies. His explanation was so succinct that it left no room for argument. So they allowed it, and they loved it.

Now, it reminded him again that Danny's father was in fact _not_ in heaven and _could_ be there with him. He'd seen Jake with Elizabeth's kids, and it was highly unlikely that he wouldn't want to be a part of his son's life.

"Yeah, buddy?"

" _I love you."_

"I love you, too. Give the phone to Emma, okay? Goodnight."

" _Goodnight, Daddy."_

He heard clumsy shuffling before his daughter's voice came to him.

" _Hi, Daddy."_

"Hi, baby. You guys doing alright over there?"

" _Yeah. Grandma let us have extra scoops! Chocolate for me and strawberry for Danny."_

"Alright well, don't get used to that kind of treatment. When you get back it's broccoli and cauliflower for dessert."

" _Eeww! Dad, be serious."_

"I'm very serious."

" _Ha, ha."_ She paused, then asked in a lower voice, _"Is Sam going to be okay?"_

Patrick sighed, knowing he couldn't completely lie to her. Besides, it was likely that she would deduce the truth on her own. She was intelligent and mature, which was how he knew he could tell her a gentler version of the truth of what had been going on.

"I believe she will be."

Another pause.

" _But do you_ know _?"_

"No, I don't know. But I have faith that she'll come back to us."

Emma took a deep breath. _"Then I have faith, too."_


	6. Chapter 6

-6-

Alexis was up at the crack of dawn and on the first ferry to Wyndemere. She didn't sleep at all the night before. How could she, after that call from Patrick? Now, her _pregnant_ daughter was missing, her deceased son-in-law was undead, and her beloved nephew was back to his shady ways.

She easily bypassed the guards on her way in because security measures don't apply to her. Unsurprisingly Nikolas was already awake and nursing a brandy when she stormed into his office. He looked at her in defeat, then back to his drink. But she didn't want this. She wanted a fight.

"Get up." For what, she doesn't know. It's not like she's going to harm him physically, but she can't stand this sad little act he's putting on. He obliged her, as he usually does.

"Alexis."

"Shut up." Because she didn't really think this through. Her thoughts had been frenzied since Sam went missing.

"You heard?"

"Of course I heard! I heard that my nephew knew that my daughter's husband was still alive and thought it was best to keep that bit of information to himself. I heard."

Alexis took a deep breath, steadying herself for what has to come next. But he spoke again before she could.

"Please, please try to understand why I did it." And the incredulous look she gave didn't stop him. "Everything…everything was being taken away from me. Everyone was betraying me. I just needed something that was mine, that I could hold on to."

"And Jason would have gotten in the way of that," she reasoned.

Nikolas looked down and swirled the drink in his hand. She'd never seen him look so insecure.

"And that's not all," he went on. "Telling the truth about Jason meant destroying lives. Elizabeth and the boys, Sam and Patrick and the kids. It would have changed everything. It only would have hurt them."

"Don't. Do not try to justify this to me. Or to yourself. You can't even look me in the eye right now because you know you're wrong. You denied a lot of people, Jason included, a chance to have a piece of their hearts back."

This isn't even why she's here, why she's mad at him. She's understood and forgiven his bad behavior before, even defended it. She was sure she could find it in her heart to forgive him this. Right now, she wanted her daughter back.

"Do you know where she is?" Alexis asked in a low voice that is equal parts anger, fear, and desperation.

Nikolas looked as if she actually struck him, but he recovered quickly.

"I assure you, no matter what you or anyone else thinks of me, I had nothing to do with Sam's disappearance."

"She was on her way here. I know you saw her."

His business face was on now. "I already told the police—"

"Stop it! I don't care what you told the fucking police. My daughter is missing! Do you understand that? I know she came here because she knew the truth and the cameras show her heading your way. Do not lie to me, Nikolas. She's pregnant, no one has seen her. She could be hurt or—or dead but we have to know. I have to know where she is!"

She could barely voice the last part, the part she'd been keeping in because the worst case scenario is very possible at this point.

"Sam's pregnant?"

Nikolas's voice sounded far away, drowned out by her own uncontrollable sobs. He took her arms, made her look at him.

"Alexis, I swear, I don't know where Sam is. But I'm going to do everything I can. I promise."

Once her breathing slowed enough for speaking she asked him again, "What happened when she came here?"

Nikolas sighed, knowing he couldn't escape the truth.

"She told me that she knew. That she would make me and Elizabeth pay for what we did. She said that I was a piss-poor example for Spencer and that she would never forgive me. She said…I was dead to her."

"And what did you say to her?"

"The same thing I told you. I tried to explain my actions but she was too angry to hear any of it. She told me I was dead to her and I…told her the feeling was mutual. I didn't mean it," he adds quickly. "She left right after that. Didn't say where she was going."

In reality, Alexis never really believed that he did anything to Sam. But she was desperate.

Collecting herself, she prepared to leave him alone again. "You know," she said, shaking back her hair and smoothing down her skirt out of habit. "It's funny that you say you felt betrayed by everyone. One of Sam's fears was being betrayed or left behind by the people she cared about. It amazes me how you two could be so alike, yet so different."

* * *

Valentine enters her quarters. He sees her in the corner, keeping herself small and away from the entrance. He approaches her slowly, knowing that he cuts an imposing figure with his six-foot-seven brawny frame. But when she finally looks at him, she only seems nonplussed. He stares at her expectantly.

"Am I supposed to know who you are?" she asks, annoyance clear in her tone.

His laugh only holds a hint of actual amusement. "Yes. Yes, you are."


	7. Part 2: Chapter 7

Part 2

-1-

This is why we fall down

And get back up again…

 _How is it that my sister's been missing almost two weeks, and no one thought to mention it? I may have left home but I'm still very much a part of this family._

I didn't want to worry you. _Mom must be losing it. How could she not tell me? How could Molly not tell me?_

 _I'm not being paranoid this time; my whole family was conspiring to keep this from me. Michael's been avoiding my calls lately, probably because we both know it's hard for him to lie to me even over the phone. Any call or text to Dante was responded with, "Busy at work." Yeah, working to find my missing sister._

 _I know I was a mess when I left—hell, for a long time before that too. But I'm not so helpless and fragile that I can't lend my support to my family when they need me._

 _So I call in a favor from Dad, something I try to limit myself in doing, and he had a driver ready for me within the half hour (I suspect he already had a man close by, which I've repeatedly asked him not to do but in the moment I'm grateful for). The only thing I bring with me is a duffle bag with my phone, keys, and wallet thrown inside. The driver immediately opens the door for me and offers to take my bag. I don't even think, just hand it to him and climb into the SUV. I wish it was Max or Milo instead of this new guy, someone who knows me and reminds me of home, but Dad sent him so he must be good at what he does._

 _On the road, I have time to calm down from the phone call I had with Molly before I left. I shouldn't have gone off on her like that. "There's something I have to tell you, but please try to stay calm," she'd said. And when I demanded to know why and she told me, I yelled at her. I denounced her and our family for their secrets. I asked her why she didn't tell me._

" _I didn't know how." The way she said it—quiet and scared and young—reminded me that she was still just my baby sister._

 _But I was still stuck in my own feelings, letting my own fears and worries channel into anger towards her._

 _I'll make it up to her when I get home. I need her, just like I need Mom and Sam._

 _We're going to get her back. Sam's the strongest person I know, and if there's anything I've learned from my big sister, it's that love is a strength, and I know she'll fight to get back to the people she loves. And there's nothing we won't do to bring her home._

" _How much longer?" I ask the driver, my nerves getting the better of me. He doesn't answer, probably because I can barely speak right now. I look outside the window into the dark night, recognizing that we're just inside of Port Charles. Almost home._

 _The car makes a turn, away from Mom and Julian's house._

" _I need you to take me to my mother's place, not Sonny's," I clarify. Still, he ignores me so I say it a little louder. "We're going the wrong way."_

" _This is the way."_

 _I know my brain is addled from exhaustion, but I'm almost certain the driver's accent has changed from New Yorker to Russian between first picking me up in Connecticut and now. I have good instincts—not quick, but still passably functioning—and right now alarms are starting to go off._

" _Turn the car around." I think I say it with enough authority to cover my fear._

" _No." His suddenly dark growl suggests that I have no say in the matter._

" _Who are you?"_

 _This can't be who my dad sent to get me. I already let him know that I was going directly to Mom's house when I got into town; he wouldn't force me to go home to him without at least telling his man to explain as much to me._

" _Give me my bag," I demand. The one time I don't have my phone glued to my side and I'm fast on my way to being kidnapped. That's the only explanation of could be happening right now. Which is why I highly doubt that he'll do what I said._

 _He doesn't._

 _I'd only noticed a couple of cars on this particular road so far. There's no one around to help. But I'm not just going to let him take me._

 _I relax the best in can in my seat and slowly unbuckle my seatbelt, trying not to alert him. Then I unlock the door. Thankfully the safety locks aren't engaged; probably because people don't do what I'm about to do in real life. In the movies, you just jump, tuck, and roll. The car isn't going too fast, so I think I can pull it off with minimum damage._

 _When I open the door, he swerves the car, and my action-hero leap turns to crap. I tumble out, and before I even make full contact with the ground, the rear tire knocks into my leg. The one thing I get right is the rolling, but it's not intentional._

 _It hurts and burns whenever a part of me touches the surface. I try the best I can to keep my face covered, but I know it's already scraped._

 _When I finally stop moving, I try to catch my breath. I'd hit my head a few times, but I still know that I have to keep going; I don't know how long I was still for, and the driver could catch up with me at any moment. Everything aches as I try to drag myself away. I don't want to look back, but I do. The car's only about a hundred feet away, halfway in a ditch. Despite my hope that my would-be assailant was rendered unconscious at the least, I can hear him groaning before I see him climbing free._

 _Adrenaline hits, and I lift myself as best I can, ignoring whatever pain stabs at me. I don't even know what direction I'm heading, just that it's away from him._

 _Hands roughly grab my neck from behind and nearly take my feet off the ground._

" _Look what you made me do."_

 _Memories of those words rush in, memories of being slapped and pushed and thrown. Being beaten._

 _No. No._

" _No."_

* * *

Julian hated the docks. He was trying to get away from this life, to do right by his family. But none of that would matter if his family wasn't complete. He would do anything for kids. Thus, the shady meeting in the notorious shady mobster meet-up place.

Mako is the name he goes by; Julian's only worked with him once, right before establishing Derek Wells as an important figure in Port Charles. Mako's the typical silent-but-deadly for hire type. He finds people, or gets rid of them depending on the pay—laws be damned. This is why Julian needed him.

He passed Mako the envelope. A ten-thousand dollar down payment, along with Sam's picture and what little info the authorities had scrounged up so far. "Find her," Julian instructed. Mako took the thick package and lifted an appreciative brow.

"Lot of money for one lady," he noted.

"She's very important to me. Do whatever you need to do. Find her," he said with finality.

Understanding that this part of the transaction was over, Mako slid the beige envelope beneath his unnecessary leather jacket and walked away.

It was a lot of money, but Julian was prepared to drain all of his assets to bring his daughter home. He only just found her; he was not going to lose her again.

* * *

"What are you still doing up?"

Michael walked over to where Sabrina sat hunched over his desk—though in reality it was theirs, as was everything else in the room on the Quartermaine estate. The former nurse was going over documents by the light of the desk lamp, her round glasses at the tip of her nose. Michael moved her thick black hair aside and started to massage her shoulders. She sighed as she began to relax back into his bare torso.

"I can't sleep."

"I can see that."

"I thought I'd take a look at these contracts again. I mean, I know I'm no lawyer but I figured it can't hurt to be too vigilant."

Michael knelt down so he could see her better.

"What's on your mind?" he asked.

She sighed again, removing her glasses and setting them beside the papers.

"I don't know. I just feel so tense lately, like I'm waiting for the next bad thing to happen. And I know that doesn't help anything, but it's how I feel."

He stood up and held out a hand to her. She turned off the light and let him hold her. "I know what you mean," Michael said. "Ever since this thing with Sam…and then Jake really being Jason? It's almost too much."

"I wish there was something I could do to help. Actually, I was thinking…"

"You always are."

"Emma's birthday is coming up soon, and I just thought maybe with everything that's happening, Patrick might not have time to put together something special for her. Maybe that's something I can do. At least try to distract her and Danny for a while. What do you think?"

She looked up at him as if she doubted that he would do any and everything for her.

"I think you are the most amazing, generous person I know. Of course we'll have a birthday party here, if it's alright with Patrick and Emma."

"Really?"

"Really. Don't look so surprised. I do love you, you know."

Sabrina smiled and kissed her boyfriend. "I do know. I love you too."

"I know."

* * *

The music playing in his car was blaring, but it didn't really faze him. Dillon was hoping to drown out his thoughts—the Lulu and Valerie and Maxie of it all. He cared about these women, maybe one more than he should, but they were all making him crazy in one way or another. Valerie with her stupid crush on Dante; Maxie and her stupid _you're-in-love-with-Lulu_ face; Lulu and her stupid husband. Okay, so she couldn't really help that her husband was stupid, or that maybe his stupidity was all in Dillon's mind because he was being a jealous, childish, jerk.

And that was only his social life. Jason was alive and the family company was once again in Quartermaine hands. His father Paul was being shifty again (surprise, surprise). His mom…well, Tracy was Tracy and always would be. Not to mention Sam missing. She wasn't really his family but her son and husband (ex-husband? could an undead dead man be technically married?) were. Dillon had seen quite a bit of little Danny lately at the house, everyone trying to be as normal as possible but still hovering around him. Poor kid.

Destroying his eardrums apparently wasn't a sufficient distraction, so he turned the radio off. He shouldn't even be out here, trying to chase away invisible demons. But he loved the rush of driving fast around town late at night with the roads practically void of anyone else. It was usually enough to make his mind blank, but sadly that wasn't the case tonight.

Knowing that he wouldn't find any peace on the road tonight, Dillon decided he should turn around and just go home. Before he could make the turn, he caught sight of headlights off the side of the road. It looked like a vehicle had swerved into a ditch. The truck was now smoking, and Dillon pulled over a good distance away. Grabbing his phone, he jumped out of his car and left it running, intending to see if he could get to anyone possibly still inside.

"Bitch!"

Dillon's head jerked to the source, surprised he hadn't noticed the commotion sooner. Right up the middle of the road, two figures fought in the dark. On instinct, Dillon ran towards them as the smaller silhouette landed a punch against the big guy's jaw before he staggered slightly. It was enough for Dillon to shove the man (for what little good it did—he was probably half his size) and reach for the woman.

Her eyes were wide, would probably be swollen shut in a matter of minutes, and her face was almost entirely covered in blood.

"Are you okay?" It was a stupid question, and one he didn't get answer to as a fist smashed into his face. The force knocked him on the asphalt and the shock kept him there. Towering over him, the man momentarily forgot his initial assault, allowing the beaten woman to jump on his back. She coiled one arm around his neck tightly and used her other hand to press a thumb into one of his eye sockets, simultaneously biting his ear. The beast growled and tried to shake her off, but her grip was relentless. Dillon dumbly felt around for his now lost phone, never taking his eyes off of the pair in front of him. Finally the man was able to free himself of his antagonist, shaking her off in a heap and turning his attention back to Dillon.

As the man's hand reached for his waist—for his _gun_ —Dillon knew he was facing the final moments of his life. And all he could think was that he didn't have one significant thought.

But the man paused, looked down, turned around.

He was on the ground in front of Dillon before he could even register that the loud sudden pop was the sound of a gun being fired.

The woman stood, putting most of her weight on one leg, still aiming the gun where she'd shot the man, staring at the place he used to be. She breathed heavily, looked at Dillon, looked at the dead man and back.

"Are you okay?" she asked his own question back in a low tone.

No, he wasn't, but he thought that she must be worse off. But he couldn't speak. Everything had happened so quickly that he wasn't even sure it'd been real. His heart was still pounding and his ears ringing.

"Do you have a phone?" she asked, her voice rasping. When he gave no reply, she said reasonably, "We need to call the police."

Phone. Right. He'd been looking for it right before he almost died. Right before he saved her.

He gave a jerky nod and felt around again. Except the phone was in his hand already, and he didn't remember actually having gotten a hold of it.

"Dillon. Dillon!"

His contemplation over the mystery must have been longer than he thought, because for the first time he hears panic in her voice.

"Call the cops!" she begs. The gun is lowered now, still in her hand.

But her raising voice spurs him into action. He's able to give the operator their general location and inform them that, yes, an ambulance was needed.

He's still on the ground and she's still holding the gun and neither seems able to speak. It's a long wait, the three minutes it takes for the first officers to arrive. Their guns were drawn when they stood outside of the squad car, cautiously standing behind their doors.

"Drop the weapon!" one called out.

The woman's confusion was clear on her face in the red and blue lights, and Dillon yelled to the officers that she's not the dangerous one, that they're the ones that needed help. He reminded his rescuer that she needed to put the gun on the ground.

A second vehicle showed up. Unlike the others, the two men who exit the car aren't in uniform—detectives, Dillon realized, and belatedly, that they're detectives he knows.

The woman dropped the gun on the ground when she saw them, and started running towards the detectives. Dillon worried for a moment that they would shoot her before she could reach them, but she called one of them by name.

"Dante!" she cried. Detective Falconeri faltered for a moment but caught the woman in his arms.

"Kristina?" Bewildered, Dante didn't even notice Dillon on the ground.

 _Kristina_. And Dillon remembers that she'd recognized him, said his name.

She cries in her brother's arms. The others approached Dillon and the dead guy. The two uniforms examined the corpse while Nathan spoke to him.

"Dillon? What the hell happened here?"

* * *

 _ **a/n: so we shifted gears a bit here. please let me know if you like how i'm sectioning these parts so far. also, anybody else ever considered Kristina with Dillon? how do we feel about that? thanks ~ashley**_


	8. Chapter 8

-2-

Unfortunately this is not a new experience for Dante. His little sister was in a hospital bed giving her statement about being attacked. She looked even worse than what that asshole Kiefer (may he rot in Hell) did to her; now that the photos have been taken and blood cleared from her face, he saw that her face was mostly purple, there were handprints around her throat, and her cracked ribs were wrapped tight. That wasn't even the extent of it, but there were too many bruises to count.

He asked to be one to take her statement but both Nathan and surprisingly Kristina agreed that West should do it.

"I don't need you to big brother me right now," she'd said, her hoarse voice laughing off his offended look. "Not for this part at least. But I'll definitely need you after."

She then suggested (instructed) that he hear Dillon's statement instead. There's was nothing about that idea that appealed to him, so instead he spent the time making all the appropriate phone calls—her parents and siblings. Then he called Lulu to let her know what happened and why he would be home late.

Nathan left Kristina's room when he was finished, and gave Dante the go-ahead.

Seeing her like this didn't get any easier.

"Drop the look," she said at first glance.

"What look?" he asked, trying to keep his tone light.

"Dante, I can barely see you and I still know you're making your big brother face."

"That's not a thing."

"It is a thing. It's _your_ thing."

"Yeah, well, sue me. I am a big brother."

"Speaking of which…" she shifted in her bed and winced at the movement. "Did you call in the troops?"

"I called Sonny and Michael, left a message with Morgan. Your mom is on the way. I had to but I didn't even want to tell her, you know, considering…"

He let it linger, upset that he'd even brought it up.

"Considering Sam's still missing. So I'm guessing that means you guys haven't found anything new?"

This so wasn't the time or place to be discussing her missing sister, and there was next to nothing that Dante wanted to do less. He couldn't give her the answers she wanted to hear, that he was any closer to finding Sam. She could do with some good news right now, but to give her that would be a lie.

"I think your silence answers that," Kristina said solemnly.

"Krissy…please, let's just focus on you right now. You were almost...you could have been…"

"He wasn't going to kill me," she stated assuredly.

"He could have—"

"No. He didn't want me dead. He wanted me _scared_. He wanted to take me somewhere but I…"

The thought trailed off and Kristina stared down at her hands.

"Krissy?" He took one of those hands and looked at her with concern.

"I was scared," she told him. "We were in the car and I realized something was wrong. I knew I had to get away. I just opened the door and jumped out of the car."

That might explain the dislocated shoulder and road burns.

"I was going to run away," she continued. "I was too slow and he caught me and I was scared. But then, he said something. That's when I knew that I was getting out of there alive."

"What did he say?"

"'Look what you made me do.'" At Dante's patient but questioning look, she elaborated. "It's what Kiefer used to say when…It wasn't my fault."

"Of course it wasn't. It never was."

She glossed over his assurance. "But that's when I knew what he wanted from me, and I wasn't going to give it to him. So I fought back."

Nathan had said as much after briefly examining the crime scene—not that the Kristina had been the one to do it; just that the perpetrator had gotten his fair share.

It was only then that Dante noticed that the hand he wasn't holding was bandaged around the knuckles.

He cleared his throat. "I'm proud of you, kid."

She suddenly looked at him. "A person can only take so much being beaten and rescued before they learn to fight back. I've been boxing," she added proudly.

Genuinely impressed, he raised his eyebrows. "You do Sonny proud. Maybe we can, uh, have a friendly family boxing match someday."

"Please. As if any of you would take me seriously in the ring. Even though I could probably kick all of your asses now."

"Oh, is that right?"

"Yep." She smiled as much as she could with her swollen mouth. But then she was frowning, looking back down at her hands.

"I killed him," she said dazed.

Dante inhaled, held his breath as he prepared to try to help her through this. "I know that must have been very hard for you."

Kristina hesitated. "Not really. I mean, in the moment I didn't think much of it except that I needed to protect myself and when I jumped on him I felt the gun. It was just a matter of opportunity, really. And when I…did it, it didn't even feel real. Like, I have to keep reminding myself that I _killed_ a man. I killed him," she repeated, trying to convince herself again.

She's completely haggard now, breath thinning and eyes watering.

"I thought that it would keep feeling like that, like a bad dream but it's like I'm awake now and I'm a killer now."

"No, Krissy—"

"I am! Another human being's life is over because of me and I—I—"

Dante was able to grab the bedpan before Kristina retched all over herself. He held her hair back as best as he could while she emptied her stomach.

"I'm sorry," she said when she finished.

"Nothing to be sorry for." He stood up and put the basin aside. "You want me to get you some water?"

"I would, if you don't mind."

"Of course I don't. Be back in a minute."

"Thank you for big brothering me."

"Always. You just enjoy the peace and quiet before the whole family shows up."

"Right. And if you happen to run into a nurse, it couldn't hurt to mention to them that I could use stronger drugs. The family reunion might go easier if I'm only semi-conscious."

"You want the hard stuff—got it."

"Thanks, bro."

Dante watched Kristina settle back down and close her eyes before he completely left the room. She was here, she was safe now. But Dante needed to find out who the hell was responsible for this, and make them sorry they were ever born.

* * *

Molly felt sick. From what Dante told them, someone had attempted to kidnap Kristina before she shot him in self-defense. It was after midnight when they showed up at the hospital. Molly had already fallen into a fitful sleep when her mother came into her room saying they needed to get to the hospital. At first she assumed it was Sam; she'd been found and was hurt and in the hospital. She was blindsided to learn that it was her other sister.

In the half hour since arriving, Molly had yet to go in and see her sister. Alexis and Sonny had been at Kristina's side the entire time, while she sat in an uncomfortable waiting room chair. She'd distanced herself from Julian, who also opted for the waiting room after driving them here.

Seething, Molly had to clench her jaw shut to keep from saying anything to him. It was no coincident that both Sam and Kristina were targeted, or that all of this started happening soon after Julian allegedly left the business.

She folded her arms over her stomach. All of the fear, desperation, and anger were threatening to spill out at any moment, and right in Julian Jerome's direction. She didn't know how, but she knew without a doubt that he was the one responsible for hurting her family.

She just needed the proof.

* * *

Valentin was not pleased with this newest development.

"What I'm not understanding," he spoke slowly to the head of his personal security team, "is how this little girl got her hands on Abram's gun and killed him in what was supposed to be simple kidnapping. Please, explain."

Lev fidgeted while beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, knowing he could not give his boss what he wanted.

"Never mind. Your poor screening skills will be punished in due time."

"She is in the hospital now, we can get to her there," Lev said quickly, trying to appease Valentin.

"No. I no longer wish to deal with her. Her time is over; make the final arrangements."

"But…You mean get rid of her completely?"

"I no longer wish to have her in my possession, as I've said. Hmm? Then yes, dispense of her."

"When?"

"Oh, at your earliest convenience, I suppose," Valentin deadpanned.

When Lev looked ready to question him again, Valentin stood.

"I will have none of your excuses this time, and no more 'mistakes.' I want Kristina Davis dead."


	9. Chapter 9

-3-

Lulu was exhausted, having barely slept the night before. Rocco was fussier than usual, either from missing his dad or having sensed her apprehension. Olivia arrived at their place with baby Leo to watch Rocco while Lulu went to the hospital. Dante had stayed between there and the police station all night, doing whatever he could to help his sister.

She still felt sick about what happened to Kristina, and tried to school her features before she entered her sister-in-law's (heavily guarded) room. Dante had already warned her about her condition, so Lulu was determined not to make her feel any worse because of her appearance. Balancing her smile between cheer sympathy, she took a deep breath before being permitted entrance.

If appropriate, she would have taken a photo of the scene before her. Kristina was sleeping, with a brother on each edge of her bed. Morgan had a chair at the foot of the bed where he slept open-mouthed, legs on Kristina's bed next to her feet. From Michael's seat, he was hunched over so he was holding his sister's hand near where he rested his head on her bed. Dante looked like a typical guard dog in his chair, even in his sleep, with his arms folded tensely over his chest and a small frown on his face. Lulu almost missed the other presence, Molly's form on a couch in the darkened side of the room, bundled in a blanket nearly the same color as her makeshift bed. It warmed her heart to see them all together, and the only surprise was that Sonny and Alexis hadn't found a space here themselves to sleep.

"Lulu," a voice whispered. She looked at Kristina and an immediate apology began to form on her lips.

"I'm glad you're here," Kristina said before she got the chance. She looked around at her siblings, trying to figure something out.

"Damn," she said a bit louder. "I need to get up, but it looks like I'm surrounded."

"Oh, no. You should stay in bed. I'll get you anything you need. Water?" Lulu was already reaching for the pitcher.

"Water is the last thing I need." Lulu stopped and waited for further instruction. "Uh," Kristina looked down embarrassedly. "I kind of need to pee."

"Oh."

"Don't worry, I can take care of that part myself. I just might need a little help getting there."

"I can help you."

Kristina looked skeptically at the obstacles in her way. Lulu went to her husband and patted his face to rouse him.

"Baby, stop," he whined in a sleepy voice, making Kristina chuckle before the action proved too painful.

"Dante, move your ass. You're in Krissy's way."

"Krissy?" Finally Dante opened his eyes, confused to see his wife standing over him. Then he jerked his head to his sister.

"What's wrong? Are you in pain?" he asked her frantically.

"Always," she answered dryly. "But at the moment, my most pressing issue is my bladder. I need to go to the bathroom."

Dante was on his feet, ready to lend a hand. Kristina carefully disengaged hers from Michael's and tried to move her legs without jostling Morgan. Dante rolled his eyes and walked over to Morgan first and slapped the back of his head, before going to the same to Michael.

Kristina rolled her eyes in a similar fashion as the two woke with a start. She looked at Dante. "That was unnecessary," she reprimanded.

Her oldest brother merely shrugged. "They were in the way."

Lulu sighed at her husband's antics.

"What's up?" Morgan asked.

"Nothing," Kristina snapped. "I just need to go pee. Not that big of a deal."

Michael hesitated. "Can…you…"

"I swear, Michael, if you ask me if I can pee by myself I'm gonna have someone punch you for me. I just need help out of the bed and the eight feet to the door."

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Morgan grumbled.

"Nope, just in the wrong bed," Kristina shot back.

Dante hit Morgan again.

Lulu gestured to Kristina. "Hello? A little assistance?"

Michael and Dante worked out the logistics and were able to get her out of bed with little damage and to the bathroom door.

"Wait," Kristina stopped them. "Lulu?" She looked over her shoulder as much as she could.

Lulu came to her side. "Yeah?"

"Can…can you take me the rest of the way?" she asked timidly.

"Of course. I told you, whatever you need." Kristina gave her a smile that wasn't exactly convincing.

She felt obligated to help her; she _wanted_ to. Even with just the vague details that Dante had given her and Kristina's appearance, she could imagine the kind of hell she'd been through. Lulu wanted to take that pain away from her.

"The only good thing about this stupid gown is that it makes this easier," Kristina grumbled once Lulu was able to help her onto the toilet seat. The private bathroom was large enough for them to at least pretend that Krissy had some privacy while she relieved her bladder and Lulu looked away. She heard flush and then a hiss of pain. She looked to see that Kristina had decided to hoist herself up without help. She wanted to chastise her for not calling for her, for trying too much too soon. But she figured that Kristina probably felt vulnerable enough without requiring help to get off the toilet. She would probably be the same way in her position. Lulu kept her mouth shut instead and rushed to her side and guided her to the sink.

Kristina washed her hands as best she could with her bandages, which she huffed at in frustration. She turned the faucet off and looked up.

Lulu saw the moment Kristina realized that this was her reflection in the mirror. She gasped at the red and purple marks on her face. The swollen lip and cheekbone, laceration after laceration, two black eyes. She must not have imagined how bad it actually looked; maybe her other injuries distracted her. But in reality, her entire face looked nearly twice its size from all it sustained.

Kristina let out a broken sound, a gasp of horror and disbelief. And then another, reaching up with wet hands to touch the damage. Lulu didn't know what to do, her heart breaking for the younger woman.

It wasn't long before Kristina was shakily sobbing as she touched her battered skin, the truth hitting her full force.

"Oh my God!" she breathed.

"Kristina…" She gently touched her shoulders and tried to turn her away from the image, but the brunette seemed too stunned to move.

"OH MY GOD!" she wailed with a strained ferocity that had Lulu crying. "My face! I—"

Her hands traveled down to inspect her neck. She inhaled slowly, and Lulu could see her cry building up. Too unexpectedly for her to do anything about it, she watched Kristina collapse to her knees. Lulu's eyes grew wide.

"Dante!"

And the distressing howl that Lulu was expecting came, the guttural interpretation of all of the young woman's pain.

All three brothers, along with Molly, rushed in. Lulu was on the floor with Krissy, letting her grab the front of her shirt like it was her lifeline. She was mostly moaning,

Dante positioned himself next to his wife, putting a hand on his sister's shoulder. "Krissy! Hey, hey. We're here, sweetie. We've got you."

Lulu watched as Michael and Morgan joined them and Molly clung to the doorframe, looking like she might pass out any moment. Molly shut her eyes for a moment and took a visible deep breath. Slowly, she opened her eyes and inched her way to her older sister.

"Kristina," she called to the shattered young woman. Krissy lifted her head a fraction in acknowledgement, her cries now subsiding to hiccupped breaths.

"You are going to be okay," the teenager said firmly. "You made it this far because you're strong. Because you haven't let anyone break you, and you fought back. You won't break now; you don't have it in you. But we have your back now, just like always. We'll get through this." Molly knelt to take Kristina's hand.

"You already won."

* * *

" _Patrick Jr.?"_

" _Absolutely not."_

" _Why?! I happen to be very fond of Patrick."_

" _I know you are."_

 _Sam slapped his bare chest playfully and rolled over on their bed so she on her side, her nearly flat belly pressed against his torso._

" _Besides," Patrick said while running his thumb gently across her chin. "Maybe I want our baby to be named after you."_

" _Hmm. You know, as much as I and my equally feminist sisters and mother would enjoy that, I think Port Charles can only handle one Sam Drake right now."_

" _I suppose that's true. Do you want a boy or a girl?"_

" _Ooh, I don't know. I think the right answer is that I'll be happy either way—and I will. But I really want a girl."_

 _Patrick laughed. "I was thinking the same thing. Emma would adore a little sister."_

" _Emma adores almost everything. I wish I had at least half of her optimism."_

" _True. I don't know where she gets it from."_

" _I want a little girl, and I want her to be just like Emma."_

" _And just like you."_

" _Yeah, but mostly Drake."_

" _So it's settled then. We'll have the perfect daughter. And we'll name her…"_

Patrick reached over for Sam, and for the nineteenth day in a row he found her side of the bed empty. He blearily looked at the alarm clock. Two and a half hours. He was able to sleep for all of two and a half hours. It was the most he'd gotten in days. Lucas had suggested he take sleeping pills, but Patrick refused to go anywhere near that road again.

He rubbed his eyes in protest of the rising sun. It was another day he was forced to stay home and _wait_ while the woman he loved and their unborn child were missing. And he was torn between heading off on his own search for Sam, and following law enforcement's orders and staying in Port Charles, looking after their children and tending to his patients. Although, he was sure Monica would understand his need to take a break from work and Emma would probably encourage him to go look for Sam and bring her home. But Danny had grown clingier to him in her absence, contrary to the independent streak he was building before. What would that do to him, to have another parent disappear?

The doctor's bedroom door creaked open and he already knew that it would be the boy in question.

"Daddy? You 'wake?"

Patrick sat up in bed and smiled sincerely at the pint-sized blonde.

"I'm up."

Without more invitation Danny ran to him and was caught in his ready embrace. After snuggling for a moment, the child looked far too forlornly for his age at where his mom usually slept.

"Mommy gone."

"Aw, buddy. Just for now. Mommy's coming back." But he could see that his intended stepson didn't fully believe that. Soon, tears began to well in his blue eyes.

Someone might as well have driven a dagger through his heart. To hear Danny speak about his mother and see the distress her disappearance was causing him…

"Danny…" He brought the boy to his chest and began rocking him, his nightshirt collecting the little tears.

"I know you're sad right now because you miss Mommy. I miss her too. But I know that she's coming home. She's coming home to us."

"How?" Danny sniffled.

It was one of his new favorite question words, uttered almost as frequently as 'why,' but it altered Patrick's previous perception. His torn responsibilities became clear at that moment. How could he help his patients or reassure his children while the love of his life was possible fighting for hers? While he sat home and waited?

"I'm going to bring her back."

* * *

 ** _A/N: I know I had Patrick declare he was going to go find Sam before, but that was supposed to be more like a heat of the moment type of thing, without considering all of the real life actions that would have to take place in order for that to happen. antyway...after the next couple of chapters we should be getting into more of the action stuff, so I hope you enjoy. ps, the next chapter is my favorite so far_**

 ** _~ashley_**


	10. Chapter 10

~4~

"This is the best one. It's faster than any of the other cars. Uncle Patrick gave it to me for my birthday." Aiden quickly gave his dad a slightly panicked look. "But I like the cars you sent me the best."

Lucky ruffled his son's hair. "I appreciate that man, but I'm sure your Uncle Patrick's car is a _lot_ faster than anything I sent you. He knows his cars."

The boy looked relieved and went back to playing with his racetrack from their post in the middle of the living room. Lucky looked up at the staircase, knowing Elizabeth was up there as she had been practically every day since his return.

"Mommy's still sick," Aiden told him, noticing his father's gaze.

"I know. I'm going to go check on her, alright?"

"Okay."

Lucky stood up and walked past the dining table where Cam was doing his homework and Jake was halfheartedly playing with a toy.

"You boys keep an eye on your brother." Cam nodded without looking away from his work and Jake ignored him. Lucky sighed and continued up the steps. When he made it to Elizabeth's room, he slowly pushed the door open without bothering to knock. He knew she wouldn't answer anyway.

He peered inside and was unsurprised to find her still in bed. It pained and worried him to see her in such a state. It scared him, how much it reminded him of finding her in their church half frozen to death and later on the hospital roof after he ended their engagement and she found out she was pregnant with Aiden.

More than his own pain or even hers, he was worried about those three boys downstairs. Thinking of how their actions had failed them made Lucky angry at himself. Elizabeth too, if he was honest. They deserved so much more than what they were getting.

"Elizabeth," he called out firmly. After a long moment with no response, he was relieved to see her move, even if it was just to pull the duvet over her head.

"Please, Lucky," he heard her muffled voice. "Just go away."

He stepped into the room fully and shut the door behind him. "No. I'm not leaving you here like this. You have to get up."

She threw the cover down and glared at him. Her usual alabaster skin now had a sickly undertone, the lifelessness of her eyes and dark circles making her appear gaunt.

"Why? Get up for what? I can't face the world now. Not now that everyone knows what I did—"

"What _we_ did," Lucky corrected. "You think anybody was easy on me once word spread? My own sister told me I was a despicable coward and a disappointment to the whole family."

Elizabeth looked skeptically at that, knowing how much Lulu loved and admired her brother.

"And then she told me that she still loved me and that I could come back from this. This isn't the end, Elizabeth. It can't be. Not for you, and _especially_ not for your kids.

The coldness she'd addressed him with melted as her eyes began to water.

"They'll know. They'll know about me and all the horrible things I did. Jake will know what I did to his father."

Her words were hardly more that a whisper as she was overcome with sobs. Lucky instinctively reached her and wrapped his arms around her shaking frame.

"You're going to make it through this, just like you always have."

She looked at him with wide eyes, her cries mostly subsided. To him, she looked as young and beautiful and fragile as always. He found himself pondering out loud.

"You know, sometimes I look at you and I still see that girl I found in the snow all those years ago. Broken and afraid."

"Sometimes I still feel like that girl in the snow."

* * *

It was the middle of the afternoon but Michael was beyond relieved to be able to lie in his own bed. In the week since Kristina had been admitted to the hospital, he'd spent nearly every minute at her side. He was only home now because she was released into Sonny's care. Actually, he offered both to host her himself at the Quartermaines and stay with Sonny as well. But Kristina insisted that she didn't want to disrupt his family's life, and she didn't want to have to force him to be in her father's presence. After all, Sonny, Carly, and Morgan were still sore that Michael had custody of baby AJ.

As if she knew he had the briefest of thoughts of her, he heard his baby sister squealing from the doorway.

"Someone's excited to see you," Sabrina said, bringing the child to the bed and sat her on Michael's lap.

"Oh she can't be more excited that I am to see the two loves of my life." Sabrina blushed but rolled her eyes.

Michael looked at the former nurse seriously. "I mean it. It's been a rough week and this is exactly what I needed. Thank you."

"Michael, you don't have to thank me for being here. This _is_ where we live," she said light-heartedly.

"No. I do need to thank you for being here. For taking care of AJ. For loving me."

Sabrina took his free hand in both of hers. "You don't have to thank me for that either. Really, I've been quite selfish in doing those things. They make me happier than I've ever been. You make me happy. I love you."

Michael sighed, reveling again in his unbelievable luck to have a family with this woman.

"Marry me."

Sabrina literally jumped back.

"Marry…? Michael, what?"

"Sorry. That's not how I wanted to ask you—"

"But you _did_ want to ask me? I mean, before now?"

Her hopeful tone gave Michael a sense of relief and what only a moment ago felt like an ill-timed mistake began to play out like a dream. He stood and passed AJ to her. Sabrina watched curiously as Michael turned to the dresser beside the bed and reached in the back of it. When he faced her again he was holding out a ring.

Sabrina's jaw fell. "Holy…."

Michael laughed at his girlfriend's reaction. Admittedly he'd expected her initial reaction to be shock and awe, but with a more significant verbal response.

"I…How long has that been there?!"

"Um, about two months?"

Okay, so he wasn't exactly Shakespeare either.

"Michael." She stood holding AJ, and sat back down just as immediately—which the girl seemed to enjoy if her squeal was any indication.

Sabrina breathed deep and closed her eyes, pulling AJ closer to her chest. On exhale she stood again and met his stare.

"Are you sure about this Michael? There's so much going on. With your sister and _her_ sister, and the memorial clinic, and that's on top of the job you just got back. I know everything is kind of up in the air right now, and maybe our engagement right now isn't…appropriate."

"You don't want to marry me?"

"I'd marry you this moment if I could."

Michael's smile broadened at her quick and affirming answer.

"Problem solved, then," he announced. "We'll get married as soon as we can. There'll barely even be an engagement."

"Michael! That's not exactly the compromise I had in mind."

"I know everything is crazy right now." He stepped closer and placed a hand on her cheek. "But every night I go to sleep knowing you and AJ are the brightest lights in my life. Maybe it's _because_ a lot of things are up in the air; maybe it's because I just spent days with my beaten sister; maybe it's because Danny's been around so much or we're planning Emma's party. I don't want to waste another second without my family, no matter what bad things we'll have to face in the future. I want to face those with you. I want _you_ to be my family."

Wiping away a tear, Sabrina leaned into his touch.

"Michael…you don't have to convince me to marry you. I'll marry you every day for the rest of my life. I love you so much, I love what we have, and I want it for the rest of our lives. I was just worried about the world around us, how much we have and will have to deal with. But…"

"But?" he encouraged.

Sabrina's slow smile burst into giggles. "Oh, my God. Let's get married!"

She held her hand out for Michael to place the ring on her finger. He ducked his head and kissed his fiancée, feeling her smile and damp cheeks, before AJ decided she wanted to play and grabbed a fistful of his hair.

"Sweetie," Sabrina cooed at the girl. "We're getting married."

Michael kissed the top of AJ's head and pulled them both in his arms. It still felt like a dream, even as he watched Sabrina admire her ring while holding the little girl they would essentially raise as a daughter together.

Perhaps he had been desperate to connect with the people he loved the most lately, under the circumstances. But proposing to Sabrina felt _right_ , like it had when he brought little AJ home with him and officially becoming a Quartermaine. He was becoming his true self, and those he held in his arms at that very moment were a part of him.

* * *

Nikolas moved sluggishly through his morning routine thanks to the hangover that accompanied his most days as of late. Well, that and his guilty conscience. The disappearance of Sam and the town's quiet speculation about his potential involvement, coupled with the loss of ELQ left him with a great sense of hopelessness. It seemed the only people left in his corner at the moment were Alfred and Spencer—the former out of obligation as a servant and the latter out of ignorant love for his wayward father.

Wyndemere was quiet, eerier than it ever had been before. Or perhaps it was Nik's own personal storm that shrouded his miserable home. His mind felt fuzzy as he made his way to his office on the main floor. There was a lot of salvaging to be done, business-wise, and he'd put it off long enough. When he opened the heavy door to the study, he stopped in his tracks when he saw the stranger sitting behind his desk. He wasn't as sharp as usual these days, having to fight through the haze to address the man.

"I wasn't aware I had company."

The visitor said nothing, only sizing him up with eyes Nikolas instinctively knew were even darker than they appeared. It was a familiar look. Or rather, _familial_. It made Nik tense, and his guard was immediately up.

"Who the hell are you?"

The man gestured to the chair across the desk from him. "Have a seat, nephew. We have much to discuss."

Nikolas only allowed his jaw to clench, offering the bastard nothing else. He had thought his grandmother's so-called warnings were just part of some convoluted plot or another. Helena was a pathological liar, but about this, apparently, she was being honest.

"I'll stand. Shall I call you Uncle? Or would you simply prefer Valentin?"

"Whichever makes you comfortable. This is _your_ home after all. We're due for a chat."

"Are we? Funny, you weren't even on my radar before this very moment."

Valentin's confident demeanor slipped—for only less than a second, but Nikolas saw it all the same. He'd hit a nerve.

Just as quickly his composure was back and he gave a boisterous laugh. He leaned back in his seat comfortably, observing Nikolas again.

The younger Cassadine was familiar with the position, and imagined he'd looked almost exactly the same on the superior side of the desk many, many times in negotiations both in and out of business, letting the weight of his stare intimidate others. It wasn't often he found the tables turned. He found it…unsettling.

"I had a feeling that I would like you. I knew we'd be the most alike, out of the few of us left."

Nikolas almost grimaced at the comparison. He'd heard very little of this hidden uncle, but that coupled with the repulsive feeling he gave him now made Nik want to recoil.

There would be no denying physical similarities; same coloring and like build, he could easily be picked out as Stavros's brother. Then there was the simmering turmoil in his eyes that even Spencer and Molly had that was irrefutably Cassadine.

"How so?"

"Well, we're both men who don't hesitate to take control of our destinies. At any means."

Nikolas tilted his head at the cryptic insinuation of his last comment.

"Why are you really here?" he asked him.

"I'm an impressive man, but even I have to admit that I can't do everything alone. I've come for your assistance."

At that Nikolas scoffed. "I don't even know you, _Uncle_ , and you come into my home uninvited and seeking favors?! What makes you think I'd be inclined to help you with anything?"

"There's the small matter of my niece, Samantha. Although, she won't be so small for long."

Valentin smirked, admiring Nikolas's stricken expression. He thought that this must be what it looks like when someone's world changes in an instant. _Interesting_.

"You…you took Sam?"

Nikolas couldn't believe this. He'd been killing himself slowly over Sam's disappearance, and he had the culprit before him then, _asking for favors_.

"You son of a bitch," Nikolas growled, slightly registering his restraint from pummeling this intruder as a mild miracle.

"You'll want to control that temper before it gets out of hand again. That is, if you ever wish for your cousin to return to her family.

 _I could kill him now_ , Nikolas thought. But the mention of Sam's safe return had him at Valentin's mercy.

"What do you want?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"It's a mutually beneficial situation, really. I'm in need of a little clout and you're in need of a little redemption. Everyone in town hates you—understandably so given your scheming to keep Jason Morgan's identity a secret, and your status as a person of interest in Samantha's disappearance—"

"Sam," Nikolas interrupted without much thought.

"Right. Anyway, if you were credited with her recovery, it would surely do some good for your reputation. In return, I need some help with a few business matters."

"Like?" Nikolas prompted.

"Just your expedient cooperation."

Nikolas sighed deeply, his head throbbing and heart pounding at his current predicament.

"And what if I just decided turn you in now? Have the cops work you over and get information on Sam?"

It was a feeble threat. Having been on both sides of extortion, he knew that if Valentin was as cunning as he presented, he'd have more leverage.

Valentin pulled out his cell phone, tapping at it while he stood from his seat and walked over to Nikolas. He raised the device, which began to replay a very familiar conversation.

Nikolas paled as he heard his own voice make arrangements for Hayden Barnes to be shot. He'd kept the conversation coded, but it wasn't so vague that an investigation wouldn't lead the event back to him. Time, target, location, and price were mentioned.

"I know I don't have to say it, but this isn't my only recording."

Uttering that he was a son of a bitch again was redundant, but he did it anyway.

"How do I know that Sam's still alive? Or that you even have her?"

Valentin swiped at his phone again without even looking, already having anticipated Nik's question.

Nik watched as the image of his cousin appeared on the screen, clear as day. She sat on a small cot on a concrete floor, staring at the wall across from her. He'd have thought it was a still picture until Sam suddenly turned her head to where the camera obviously was. She stared for an uncomfortably long moment, her eyes hard and promising harm to whoever was on the other side of the lens. Valentin lowered his arm.

"I'll take it that we have ourselves a deal. I'll be in touch, nephew."

Valentin smugly helped himself out of Nikolas's office and presumably Wyndemere just as coolly as he found his way in.

Nik stayed standing in where he'd been, feeling as if his very soul was just ripped apart. Despite Valentin's pitch, he knew that he would never be a hero in this story. In the end, people would know that he knew who had Sam and alerted no one or that he was responsible for Hayden's shooting. With his luck, most likely both secrets would come out. But if there was a chance to keep his secrets _and_ help Sam…was keeping his mouth shut now the best for all of them in the long run.

Nikolas reached in his pocket for his phone, before remembering that Valentin had obviously bugged it God only knew how long ago. His every move was likely being watched, so whatever his next move, he had to be very careful.

* * *

 _ **a/n:**_ _ **I just couldn't resist that Michael &Sabrina moment. I wrote that fresh off the disastrous ending of MiRena. I hope fans of them at least appreciated this.**_

 _ **~ashley**_


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: unedited, struggle chapter ahead, fyi. but enjoy!

~5~

"Jason Morgan."

Every morning, he woke up in his hotel room at the MetroCourt, stared at the ceiling, and said his name.

Jake Doe didn't have quite the same ring to it, but at least that man wasn't a stranger to him. Finding his place in this world as Jason was daunting, and he almost wanted to run away. Probably would have if it wasn't for Carly and his son. _Sons_. He still hadn't seen Danny since he found out he was his father, and he was avoiding Elizabeth just as long.

"You have a right to see your kids!" Carly told him when he expressed his hesitation in seeing Liz and Patrick again. He didn't argue with her, because he didn't need to hear more about how Elizabeth was such a this or that.

The boys were probably wondering why he wasn't staying at the house anymore, despite however Elizabeth might have explained his absence to them. And Danny…did he even know who he was to him? The thought of his sons not being a part of his life made him anxious. That wasn't fair to them, and it would be selfish of him to be in and out of their lives, which was the last thing he wanted.

After showering, he grabbed his keys and left to set his buzzing mind at ease. When the motorcycle finally stopped in Elizabeth's driveway, he saw a figure move quickly through the window, and he had the delayed thought that it would probably have been better to call first.

Before he was even off his bike, the front door opened and a fast brown-haired boy was running towards him.

"No, Aiden!"

Elizabeth frantically flew out after her youngest son on bare feet.

Aiden stopped halfway at his mother's tone and looked back at her. "But it's Jake," he shrugged.

Elizabeth caught up with him and crouched down to be eye level. "It doesn't matter, you know the rules! You are _not_ allowed to open the door without permission and you never, _ever_ go outside without an adult. Do you understand?"

Aiden looked down at his shuffling feet.

"Answer me."

"Yes, Mama."

"Good. Now go inside."

He opened his mouth to argue but saw that his mother meant business and sulked back inside. She kept her eyes on him the whole time, and on the door after it was closed safely behind him.

"Elizabeth."

She didn't look at him.

"I came to see the boys. If that's alright with you."

She cleared her throat and wiped under her eyes before looking at him.

Jason saw the terror she had in reliving Jake's accident be replaced with a different kind. Her head nodded but she didn't say anything directly to him. He followed into the house that was his home not too long ago. Aiden was waiting for them by the stairs, and eagerly rushed to Jason's feet.

"Hi, Big Jake!" he said with a hug.

"Hey, Big Aiden." He swooped the boy up in a bear hug.

Elizabeth cleared her throat and called out, "Boys, there's someone here to see you."

There was no eagerness in their response, and the shuffling of their feet seemed to drag on for Jason. What if they hated him now? What if they wanted nothing to do with him anymore?

Cam entered the room first, his hair falling into his eyes (he was way overdue for a haircut), and he stopped short as seeing Jason. Jake was right on his brother's heels so he nearly bumped into him.

Cameron stared at Jason and then looked worriedly at his younger brother. Jake was wide-eyed at the sight of him, frozen behind his brother.

"Cam, Jake. Don't you want to say 'hi' to Jason?"

When Jason woke up in the hospital with no memory of who he was, he still remembered things. His mind and body instinctively knew how to react to certain stimuli. So he knew without remembering how to read, tie his shoes, ride a motorcycle, make love.

As he watched Jake, his own son, say 'no' and turn away from him—Jason's mind and his body knew that this was a special kind of heartbreak, the kind you can only have with a child you love.

He didn't exactly remember having Michael taken away from him when he was just a baby—only from what Carly had told him—but he thought _this_ was what that probably felt like. Except _this_ was worse, because Jake had a choice, and decided that he didn't want Jason. For a moment, Jason thought that _this_ must be a fraction of what the old him felt when he thought Jake was dead. But he shook that thought away because just imagining that made him sick with a sort of phantom grief.

Cam looked apologetically at Jason, and followed after his younger brother.

Jason cleared his throat. "I, uh, I don't know what I expected to happen. I left weeks ago without a word."

"He's just confused. Everything changed so suddenly. It's not your fault."

"Just because we…I didn't have to leave them, too."

Elizabeth looked down at Aiden, who was watching their exchange curiously. "Sweetie, go play with your brothers."

He didn't try to argue that time, and Jason wasn't sure if he imagined the relief on his face.

"I'll talk to Jake, try to explain to him. He thought…he thought you left because of him. But I told him that wasn't true. I told him that you just needed some time away to figure things out, but that you would come back to see him."

Jason looked at her. "You were sure I'd come back?"

"For him, for them, yes."

Because she knew him so well. It's something else that came as instinct. When he first saw Elizabeth, he could see that she _knew_ him. Even before she found out his identity. Again, Jason found himself wishing he could hate her, but his mind and body knew that was impossible.

It was a struggle not to get closer to her, to comfort her when she was obviously hurting. He had to remind himself that _she_ was not the reason he came back; he had to ignore the curious need to embrace her and make everything right again.

"I would like to see them again," he said. "When they're ready. We could meet somewhere."

He could see the beginning of hope spark behind her eyes, and he didn't want to be the one to extinguish it. Because even after everything, he still knew this woman like she was a part of him, and because this house still felt like home.

He swallowed and backed towards the door. "Just call me," he said. "When they're ready." And he left his home behind before he got trapped there again.

* * *

Kristina had been moved to a private facility before he could visit her in the hospital. Well, there _was_ time, but he had put it off for as long as possible. When Maxie asked him why, he'd told her that she should be with her family. To which she'd scoffed, "She should be able to thank the man who practically saved her life in person."

It was an exaggeration—Maxie was always dramatic. He didn't save her life. Sure, it would be nice to claim the title of hero in the scenario, but that just wasn't the truth of what happened.

All he knew was that she had survived and was being treated for multiple injuries. Nathan West was kind enough to tell him at least that much in their wrap-up interview. Dillon had been allowed to go home the same night of the incident, his bruised jaw minor compared to what Kristina had been through.

He couldn't believe that it was _Kristina_. Honestly, he hadn't even thought about her in years. And it was a hell of a way to be reintroduced. While it was true that they shared a traumatic event, he couldn't bring himself to enter her life. Just thinking about the brutality of her attack made him sick with anger. But he didn't know how to…deal with her. He couldn't just pretend that it didn't happen. And he wanted to help her, he just wasn't sure he knew how to do that.

So he visited her that first day in private care, after getting the information from Michael and the clearance from Sonny. He'd expected her to be sleeping—Michael had warned him that that was mostly what she did these days—but Kristina was wide awake, sitting up in bed when he was let into her room. Seeing her for the first time was…brutal. She had stayed in the hospital nearly a week before being move at the behest of her family, and there seemed to be little progress in her healing; there was terrible bruising and swelling of half her face and she was otherwise almost completely covered in gauze wherever her gown didn't cover.

When she heard him enter she turned her head, exposing the discoloration to her long neck.

"Hi," she said after Dillon stared too long.

"Sorry. I mean, hi." He tentatively stepped closer and gestured questioningly to the plush bedside chair.

Kristina nodded and watched him carefully as he struggled for something to say.

"How—ugh. Well I was going to ask how you are but that sounds so…"

"Trivial? Yeah. But it's okay. Not many people know how to talk to the living human punching bag. But that's what my therapists are for."

Dillon stifled a groan and looked at the floor as he felt even worse. He was about to apologize again when he felt her hand on his knee.

"Hey. That was supposed to be a joke. Okay, so I'm not the funny one. I'll leave the wisecracking to Dante."

Instinctively his face screwed up and before he could help himself said, "I don't think he's all that funny."

"Ha!" Her unexpected snort of a laugh caught him off guard. "Yeah, I heard about you and Dante. Must be weird for you, almost having died for his little sister. Talk about regrets."

He looked sympathetically at her. "That's _really_ not funny. You almost dying isn't funny."

"Depends on how you look at it." He might have said more if her tone wasn't so light and he couldn't see an impish twinkle in her better eye.

"What are you doing here?" she asked after a beat.

"I was…I just, I don't know, wanted to see if you were going to be okay after…"

"Oh. You know, I read an article about it on the internet. People are hailing you as my hero."

Dillon flushed. "Yeah, they tried to get me to give a statement. It's kind of been annoying, having people praise me as some sort of hero. You did all of the work. I was just a distraction."

Kristina thought for a moment and played with the corner of the quilt draped over her legs. "Don't be too modest. You were a very well-timed distraction, so you've got that going for you."

Finally, she was able to get a smile from him. "Thanks."

"Can we talk about something?" she asked.

Dillon nodded, mentally preparing himself to talk about the attack.

"Do you still make movies?"

"Whaa…I work on the odd personal project here and there. I'm getting more into photography these days. Why?"

"That's nice. I've never really been the artistic type. Or maybe I am. I never really had the chance to be creative with all of my academic responsibilities. My husband was artistic. Well, he tried to be."

"Husband?"

"Ex. It was a quick marriage, quick annulment, not so quick death. Wow, I did _not_ want to talk about that. Something else. How's Tracy? Still the ultimate Quartermaine?"

He could see that she was rambling, trying to ignore the elephant in the room.

"Please." There was a tear unexpectedly rolling along her raised cheekbone.

"Kristina? Should I get someone?"

"No! No. Just—I don't want to talk about it. And I don't want to talk to my parents or my brothers who can't even look at me without pity or sadness or anger. I don't want to think about my missing sister, who no one has _any_ lead on. I don't want to be reminded by doctors and nurses how to care for myself. I want to talk to someone like a normal person again."

Dillon blinked. Hearing what she was essentially begging for, he knew it maybe wasn't a healthy solution. But with very little else to offer her, he turned away from her crying face and toward the flat screen mounted on the wall.

"What kind of movies do you like? I could bring some in from my collection at home."

Kristina sniffed and cleared her throat. "Of _course_ you have a collection. I don't really have a preference. But no horror films. Or musicals. And I'll watch an action movie, but nothing with romance in it. I mean, what's the point, if you're just going to ruin it with an unnecessary, improbable love story?"

"But no preferences, right?"

The corner of her mouth ticked up and she tilted her head in an attempt at a shrug.

It went on that way for the next three weeks, him bringing her movie after movie to criticize. She never asked him to come back, but he always did.

She had casually mentioned once that she spent her birthday stuck in that bed, and he chastised her for not telling him about it. "Really, it's no big deal," she'd insisted. Dillon couldn't stand for that, saying he wouldn't be a very good friend if he didn't make a little fuss over her.

Today he was smiling to himself as he walked the now familiar halls of the facility—which was becoming more frequent as he spent more time with Kristina. However, he his steps were a little livelier as he thought of surprising her with a box of chocolate chip cookies from Kelly's (she may have mentioned they were her favorite since she was a child), a small vase of gerbera daisies, and a variety of John Hughes films to choose from. He stopped to sign in at the front desk, letting the graying administrator gush about his bringing gifts for Kristina. It wasn't _that_ big of deal. Just flowers, cookies, a few movies. On second thought, maybe Kristina would think it was too much. She hadn't wanted to celebrate her birthday anyway. Dillon cleared his throat. "Actually, the flowers are for you." Her eyes widened in surprise as he sat the vase on her desk before walking away. Finally he reached her room, nodding at the man guarding her door.

"Doctor's just finishing up in there," he said. "Should be done any minute."

"Cool."

The guard—Big Tom, Kristina called him—eyed Dillon's movies and cookie box. "Big plans?"

"Just the usual," Dillon answered. There was no reason why he couldn't tell him that it was a belated birthday celebration, but it was his first response. Everyone didn't have to know everything about how he and Kristina spent their time together.

Big Tom nodded, and went back to minding his own business. Dillon was spared an awkward silence when Kristina's door flung open. The doctor rushed out, muttering an apology for almost running into him.

"Someone's in a hurry," Dillon said as he watched the doctor retreat. "I'll see you later," he offered Tom.

When he first entered the room everything seemed normal, Kristina in her usual sitting position, facing the door and waiting for him.

"Happy belated birthday!"

Kristina rolled her eyes. "You're ridiculous. I told you not to do anything."

"I know, but I brought you cookies."

"Then you're forgiven."

"We're doing John Hughes today," he informed her as he handed her the box and turned towards the blu-ray player next to her bed to set up.

"Insert dirty joke here."

"That joke hasn't been funny in decades."

"You say po-tah-toe."

"I would never say po-tah-toe."

"Fine. I'll say it."

"Thank you. How's physical therapy coming?" he asked once the movie was ready to go.

"Harsh. I'm not completely convinced that it's not actually a form of torture. The doc just gave me an IV. Said I was a little dehydrated."

"Just think of seeing the outside world again. That should motivate you." He sat down holding the remote.

"Dillon."

"Hmm?" The menu popped up on the screen.

"Dillon," she wheezed.

He looked at her, saw both of her hands grasping at her chest, her brown eyes wide in panic.

"Kristina!" He stood, was going to race to the door, when she grabbed his hand and shook her head.

"Don't…don't leave me," she whispered.

For a terrifying second he was torn on what to do, but the fear in her eyes kept him rooted to her side.

He screamed for Big Tom, for someone to help, for the doctor to come back. He held her hand as long as he could before people in scrubs began pulling him away. His eyes stayed connected with hers, until they rolled upwards and he could only see the whites of them.

"I won't leave," he promised her, after her eyes were closed and she could no longer hear him.


	12. Chapter 12

(A/N: for the sake of my story, Leo's paternity was revealed about a month before Sam disappeared, and the meeting between the siblings was the same)

~6~

It used to be home, but now he referred to it as _Sonny's place_. As difficult as it was being back, Michael would do anything for his little sister. He'd texted her to make sure Sonny wasn't there, so he could come over with Sabrina and baby AJ. Kristina assured him that her dad was out of town "on business," and the trio made their way over.

He was a little nervous to see his sister because he still hadn't told her about his engagement. It wasn't like he thought she wouldn't like Sabrina once they got to know each other, but the siblings shared a special bond, and surely withholding this kind of information—despite the circumstances—felt like betraying that bond.

"Relax," Sabrina said when they were let into the foyer. "Your sister's on bed rest; I'm sure our engagement will be good news."

"Yeah, we'll see."

That seemed to amuse both of his girls as they mocked him with laughter.

"Is she upstairs?" his fiancée asked.

"If she's staying in her old room, yeah."

They turned in that direction when one of the guards stopped them. "They're in the den," he told them.

"They? Is my—is Sonny here?" Michael was ready to head back to the car and take his family home.

"No. Just a friend," the man replied with a hint of amusement.

"Oh. Okay. Guess we're going to the den."

Michael nodded his thanks and redirected them.

In the hall, they could hear some TV show or movie playing and Michael knocked gently on the door jamb that separated them, and then stopped in his tracks.

He would have been worried about the way her sister's head was positioned over the armrest of the sofa— practically upside down and facing him—if he hadn't seen her fall asleep that way so many times when they were younger. What surprised him was seeing his cousin on the other end of the couch, also asleep and holding Kristina's bad leg in his lap.

"Dillon?" Sabrina whispered behind him, the pair exchanging a confused look.

"Should we leave?" she asked. Michael felt indignant at the suggestion that he was interrupting his sister and his cousin sleeping together. That particular bad phrasing made him shake his head furiously.

"No, she invited us. She's expecting us."

"Looks like we aren't the only ones she invited over."

Michael glared at her. Avery, sensing he was upset, began squirming in Sabrina's arms to get away. Once the toddler was down, she walked over to the couch after spotting one of her favorite playmates, only stumbling once. She tugged on Dillon's arm, and he smiled before he opened his eyes.

"There's little monster on my arm." Suddenly AJ was raised above him and kicking her legs in delight, drool falling down on Kristina's leg.

"Baby?" Kristina said sleepily, her brows scrunching over bleary eyes as she lifted her eyes.

For an irrational moment, Michael thought his sister was using that as a pet name for Dillon.

"It is a baby," Dillon said as Kristina struggled for consciousness. "AJ, tell your sister to stop being such a sleepyhead."

"AJ!" Kristina sat up while Dillon lowered the one-year-old so the sisters could face each other.

"Hi, baby!" the elder cooed. AJ poked and pulled at Kristina's brace, completely ignoring the girl it belonged to. "You are so pretty, baby girl. Can I hold her?"

He handed over the child, who started pulling her sister's hair. Dillon glanced up at his cousin and Michael imagined his expression was one of deep confusion and discomfort.

Dillon sighed and patted Kristina's braced leg, which she lifted in return with little effort. He got up and went to Sabrina first, giving her a friendly hug, then turned to Michael.

"Hey man," he said, waiting for some kind of signal that his cousin wasn't freaking out over nothing.

"Hey?" Michael didn't mean for it to sound like a question.

"Hey, Michael, hi Sabrina," Kristina threw over her shoulder, still enamored by the baby sharing kisses with her.

"I didn't know you two were friends?" Everyone, even the baby, stops to look at Michael. He didn't mean to raise his voice, but sometimes he gets awkward and weird and doesn't really know what to do.

Dillon looked at Kristina and back at his cousin. "Yeah, we are. We hang out sometimes. But actually, I need to get going. I'm supposed to meet Maxie for lunch. I'll see you back at home. Later, Kris. Bye, Sabrina."

Michael nodded and the two women bid him goodbye. The couple walked around to sit on the loveseat facing Kristina.

"Unbelievable," she muttered after Dillon was gone.

"'Kris'?"

"Don't try to change the subject, Michael. How could you do this to me?"

Michael was utterly lost. He looked to Sabrina for clarification, but she shrugged and might have stepped a fraction away from him.

"What I did? You're _hanging out_ with Dillon—my own cousin—like it's normal, and _you're_ upset with _me_? Help me with the math here, Krissy."

"I'm allowed to have friends, _Michael_. It's not like it was some big _secret_. It's not like I'm lying about something huge and life-changing from you. What kind of sister would that make me?"

Her tone had calmed down by the last accusatory question. _Crap._ She knew.

"It's a beautiful ring. Congratulations," she said to Sabrina.

"I swear, I was going to tell you," he apologized. "There's just been so much happening, I didn't think you would—"

"Care about the biggest current news in your life? How self-absorbed do you think I am?"

"That's not why…" He sighed and covered his eyes with his hands.

"Relax. I'm not really mad."

Michael's head snapped up. "You're not?"

"No."

"Then why…? Were you just trying to get me to back off of the Dillon thing?"

"There is no 'Dillon thing.' There's my _friend_ , Dillon, and there's no thing."

"You were! You were trying to distract me."

"From what, nothing?" Sabrina asked. She was turning against him. It was a losing battle.

Michael huffed. "Fine. There is no 'Dillon thing.' But since you know about the engagement, I wanted to ask you something."

"I'd be honored."

"You don't even know what I was going to ask."

"You want me to be your best person, right?"

"Oh. Well, yeah. So you'll do it?"

"I already said yes. So, when's the big day?"

"Actually," Sabrina answered, "we're waiting to plan everything. Just until things…settle down."

"Right, we, uh, we want you to be completely healed. And we want to wait until Sam's back. Until the whole family's together."

Kristina looked away and let a restless AJ onto the floor so she could waddle over to their brother.

"She's going to be okay, Krissy," Michael promised. Kristina nodded but didn't look at him.

Sabrina reached for his hand and he gladly let it comfort him.

"I hope you're right," Kristina said, watching AJ with a mournful gaze.

* * *

Olivia reluctantly rang the doorbell, balancing a six-month-old on her hip. She'd gone back and forth over her decision, and hated even considering what she had to do. But one thing everyone knew about her was that everything she did was for her kids. Still, she and Julian had reached an understanding about their son Leo, and she didn't want to do anything to ruin their tentative co-parenting relationship.

A couple of days earlier she had gone with Dante to Sonny's place to wish Kristina well. When she saw the poor girl, Olivia immediately sent another silent prayer for her. She was only able to talk with her for a few minutes before Kristina said she was tired and Olivia excused herself.

Olivia left her side and descended the stairs into the living room where Dante and Sonny were in the middle of a discussion.

"…can't believe Alexis agreed to have her stay here," Dante was saying.

"Actually it was Kristina's decision," Sonny clarified. "But I'll tell you what. If she hadn't or-or if Alexis had tried to fight her staying here, I would have forced it anyway. There's no way in hell I'm going to let her stay under the same roof as Julian Jerome. And if I can have at least one of my daughters staying with me…" Olivia saw him shrug in his typical Sonny way.

She stepped onto the landing. "What is that supposed to mean?"

The duo looked at her, but neither answered.

"Hello? I asked you a question. Did—did Julian have anything to do with…what happened to Kristina?" she asked haltingly. "Dante?"

"Ma, I can't talk about Krissy's investigation—"

"Screw the investigation! I have a son with this man. I think I have the right to know if there's something going on that can put your little brother in danger."

Dante sighed heavily and gave a half annoyed look that Olivia was tempted to smack off.

"So far, nothing's been directly pointing at Jerome."

"Directly? Kid, be straight with me. Julian said he was through with the business and I believed him. Should I not have?"

"I…I will say that he's been monitored since Sam disappeared and he was seen associating with less than law abiding citizens."

"That describes most of Port Charles," she said wryly.

"We got him on surveillance with a known criminal, one that's been tied to suspicious disappearances before."

Olivia's chest tightened. "Could he be the reason Sam's missing? Why Kristina was attacked?"

Sonny answered before Dante did. "Olivia, I say this to you as a parent: if there's even a chance…that _he's_ the cause of all of this…you need to get him out of your son's life. Before it's too late."

Before it's too late. Before her child was ripped away from her too.

It wasn't personal. It was for Leo.

She was about to ring the bell again when a bedraggled Alexis swung the door open.

"Olivia," she stated blankly before registering the baby she was carrying. "And Leo," she said with a bit more enthusiasm. "I know your daddy will be so happy to see you. Please, come in."

Olivia's smile felt pained as her stomach was tied in knots. "Thanks."

"Just wait in here while I go get him."

As Alexis went through one hall to the back of the house, Lucas came out of the kitchen. His steps faltered when he saw her, but he recovered and walked over for the couch.

"Lucas, hi. How are you?"

"Fine, I guess. I mean, things are still pretty tense and the situation's more or less the same. But my day just got a lot better with my little brother here."

"Yeah, he has that affect on people. You want to hold him?" It was a rhetorical question as Leo was already being handed over.

"Always. I love spending time with this little guy. Except, he's not so little. What, did he gain ten pounds since I last saw him?"

Olivia chuckled half-heartedly. "Feels like."

"Actually Danny's here too, so Dad's going to be stoked. He'll get to hang out with all of his…boys." Lucas's face dropped and she imagined he was thinking of how Sam should be there.

There was no more conversation between them while they waited; Olivia always got a weird vibe from Julian's older children, ever since she revealed the truth about Leo's paternity. They weren't mean or rude, they just sort of clammed up around her. She supposed that they still needed time to get used to their familial ties.

She folded her arms as she watched the brothers make faces at each other (mostly Lucas, but Leo smiled sometimes in response).

Just when the air around them was starting to get (more) awkward, Julian emerged from the hall with a golden-headed boy clinging tightly to his back.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," he said. "I couldn't get the last monkey to stop jumping on the bed."

"I monkey!" Danny announced proudly.

"And here's my other monkey. Hey, baby boy," Julian cooed as he walked to his sons. Lucas waved the baby's hand in greeting.

"Baby Weo," Danny observed, watching the boy cautiously. Leo was fond of pulling Danny's hair.

"That's right, buddy," Lucas said. "Trade you?"

Julian happy picked up Leo and held him in the air while Lucas went around and pried his nephew away.

"Not that I don't always love having him here, but it's so unexpected. What brings you by, Olivia?"

"I, uh, just thought you could both use the visit."

Julian looked at her, genuinely touched, and she wanted to throw up.

"Thank you, Olivia. I really mean that. Things have just been so…"

He didn't need to say it; she could see it on his face. The Julian she knew was always put together, and carried around an air of importance and overconfidence wherever he went. The man in front of her in a basic t-shirt/sweatpants combo looked like a family man—with his sons and his grandson—with unkempt hair and a long face. She'd be surprised to learn that he was sleeping at all these days. It almost made her change her mind.

"I can only imagine," she nearly whispered. "I want you to know that I've been keeping Sam in my prayers. She's a hell of a woman and she's going to make it home. I just know it." Her conviction was lacking but it was the best she could do.

Julian cleared his throat and looked away. He nodded and looked down at the child in his arms.

"Mommy? Mommy back?"

Lucas inhaled sharply and kissed his nephew's head. "She will be, buddy. But for now, I think your grandma's got an ice-cream cone waiting for you in the kitchen." He sat the boy down. "I'll race you," he challenged.

"Grampa, look! I fast!" He zoomed off and Lucas jogged at a slow pace behind him.

"Sorry about that…how's Danny doing?"

"We've all been keeping him busy. He wanted to spend the weekend with us while Emma's at a sleepover. He's definitely been keeping us on our toes. Three-year-olds really are fast. And to think, I get to do it all over again with this one."

He lifted Leo again and playfully rubbed his head on his son's belly, eliciting the breathy squeals that passed for laughter.

"Careful he doesn't get a hold of your hair," Olivia warned too late.

Julian laughed and grimaced at once as Olivia helped with the extraction. She tapped her son's nose and he tried to bite her finger.

"He's just playing. It's not every day he gets to try to impress his old man."

He sent a quizzical glance at Olivia, who was still standing taut with her arms folded across the front of her light jacket.

"Is everything okay? You seem…off."

This was her chance to brush it off and do away with her whole speech, but instead she rolled her shoulders back and lifted her chin.

"No, actually everything is not alright."

* * *

 _I was pissed off. Someone tried to kill me. TWICE. One of them was my doctor. That's just insulting. So I was angry. Mad as hell. Whoever was out to get me—I can't even believe that's an actual phrase I have to use—might try again._

 _I won't be caught off guard next time._

 _When my dad asked (told) me to stay with him, by habit I almost argued against it, but I took a moment to think it through. I didn't want whatever was happening to me to put Molly or Mom in danger. Staying with my father, with his spotty security did have some benefits._

 _Sonny's face when I said I would do it in exchange for shooting lessons was almost hysterical. But it was the only way I would stay. He agreed, that when I was well enough, I could go with only him, Max, or Milo._

 _Today it's Max, which I prefer. He didn't coddle and backseat shoot like Dad, and he wasn't nervous like Milo. As playful as I remember Max being when I was a kid, here's all business._

 _We're not at a legitimate shooting range—people tend not to want to give firearms to those who were arrested for attempted murder—but in a soundproofed room in one of Dad's many warehouse properties._

 _Angry people shouldn't handle guns, Max tells me. It never solves anything. This is ironic because, has he ever even met his boss? He tries to get me to see past the anger, to find a greater purpose. Angry people make mistakes, he says every time._

" _You have to be stronger and smarter than those idiot bastards who tried to take you down." He excuses his language._

 _I used to picture my fake doctor on the receiving end of the pistol Dad gave me. I used to imagine finding Sam's captor (she's not dead. she's NOT.) and putting a bullet in his head. Now I see the people I want to protect: my mom, my brothers and sisters. Dillon's smile flashes unbidden in my mind, and I square my shoulders._

 _I remember Molly's words, when I was devastated on the bathroom floor of the hospital. I think of Sam, pregnant and probably scared for her life. I picture Danny, confused asking for her. I feel my brothers surrounding me, their love fierce and unbounded. My parents, worried and dedicated, no matter what._

 _I'm done being the victim, being the one everyone else has to take care of. I'm still angry, but I also have control. It's something I haven't felt in a long time. Shooting that thug the night I came back to town was owed only to proximity and luck. Not anymore. I can't rely on anyone else to save me. Not when I have so much to protect._

 _I fire five shots at the silhouette. Max examines and admires my work._

" _Nice. What were you thinking about?"_

 _My ears are ringing since we don't use the protective muffs. The weight in my hands, the slight ache in my shoulders, the muted throbbing pain on my healing leg—everything I feel is heightened, and I feel more alive than I have since the second attempt on my life._

 _Max is watching me with something akin to awe. My voice doesn't even sound like mine anymore._

" _Winning."_


End file.
